Post Game Notes- 4/27/14

Girls,
As I mentioned after the game, I felt better about our team after today's 1-0 loss than I did after our previous 1-0 win against CSA.  Each one of you did some great things today.

I felt we moved to space and passed the ball much better.  We stepped to win way more balls than last game.  We strung together 5-10 pass combinations many times.  I think one time we strung together about 15 consecutive passes.  I hate the phrase, "some times the better team does not win".  I will not use that phrase.  The better team finds a way to win. In this game, winning is scoring more than the other team.  We did not do that, so yes, they were the better team.

BUT, I will say we possessed the ball better than they did, won more 50/50 balls, passed way better, made more runs, had more shots on goal, had more corner kicks, etc...  We just couldn't finish any of our shots (and we had so many chances!), and they finished one.

I felt, after speaking to a couple parents, that some girls put the loss on their shoulders.  Girls, we lost because we didn't score and they did.

But, we can learn after a game like tonight.  One in which we dominated every stat on the field except the score.  And what we learn from that is "how can we win games like that where we definitely should have won based on how we play.  I think every girl, and coach (trust me, I have over and over), should ask "what was 1 thing I could have done better.  "did I eat the right foods before the game", did I try and dribble to much when the easy pass made sense", did I clear the ball when I probably had more time to find an open person for a pass", "did I not talk enough on defense or offense", "could I have went to bed at a decent hour and had more energy from it", "could I have________(fill in your blank)_________________________".

Finally, start thinking about this for me--Each time you touch the ball, keep track to yourself of the end result.  Did you make a good pass, did you lose it, did you get it back, did you misspass and it went out of bounds, etc.--basically, was the end result-- good or not.  As I mentioned, Sheena leads our team in this category of "positive end results".  We'll talk more about this at practice.  This is something that is tracked by many college and pro teams.

Anyway girls, as I said, I am proud of how you played.  That was our first regular season loss in two years!!! And it was against the team you tied first with last season, and were tied for first this season.  You really really played a very good game, and we have worked so hard on one and touch touch passing and spacing, and you did it against a really good team, even though I know you are a better team than them....  Have a great week!  See you all tomorrow.

Brian