Girls (parents),
This Saturday we will be playing with two subs. We have Hannah out injured, and we have Sophie making us proud trying to be #1 in the state in the 800 and 400. Morgan has her 8th grade formal, and I don't want her to miss it.
We have many of the people we have on our awesome team because we were willing to work with peoples schedules so they could enjoy multiple sports, where other teams didn't allow it; and if you missed, you got zero playing time due to it. It would not be fair to take these girls as I did, knowing they came to us so they could be multisport girls, and then change my mind... I also am very appreciative of these girls doing their best to get to our practices and games. Sophie has missed many track meets for our games and practices--that is tough for her, especially knowing what she means to the HHS track team. Maleah and Megan will come to practices and games the same day they played multiple basketball games. Hannah in the winter playing 2 basketball games, makes our indoor game, along with the S4 training...! I know the other Bball girls from HHS did the same. Molly, in the fall, would have three hour very intense dance practices, with 1/2 of it being conditioning, and then come to our practice or game that same day. I call that committed, and I am appreciative of it from these girls. Obviously, I would love 100% soccer girls, but we can and will make this work and continue to move up. If you told me we'd be 4-1-1 in the Buckeye Elite 1 division this season, I'd say no way! So, we are making it work!
I was fortunate to be able to play high school basketball, soccer, and track in high school, and go to basketball and soccer camps in the summers. They didn't overlap as bad as they do today. Today, to be very competitive, sports have become "year round".
I refuse to make girls choose just because they are now becoming year round. How can I tell Sophie to not do something she is great at and loves. Megan and Meleah with basketball, Molly with Dance, along with others on our team that do very well in track such as Jenna, Delaney, and Ciara. I will not do that. There are three girls from Highlands moving on to play college soccer next year--all three were multi sport athletes. It can, and will be done with our team!
BUT, here is what we will do to make sure we are better prepared.
1. I plan on picking up two players to give us a full roster of 18. We will continue to offer winter and summer training, along with 3 practices during the season, asking the girls to make at least 2 of the 3. I truly believe we will be very competitive, as we've always been, with this format. By having 18 girls, knowing that injuries simply become a bigger part of the sport as the girls get faster, bigger, stronger and more physical; and we will always probably have girls missing for other reasons (dance, basketball, track, school events, etc), we will have enough girls to give adequate subs at all games.
2. I will work in getting track, dance, basketball schedules ahead of our scheduling meeting each season. That way, when I go to the scheduling meeting, I will mark those days off in scheduling games as best as possible. This in itself will rid of the situation we are dealing with this weekend.
Ok girls, so about this weekend. We have two subs. Maleah isn't 100% healthy and Taylor will just be coming back. So, I know it's not the best situation. The coach of the Kings team that Isabella and Chrissy play for is not allowing them to guest play. He is afraid they will get injured before their Presidents Cup. I can't get Maria because she is in Nashville for a tourny. I can't get any of the talented NKSA girls I know, because league games do not allow guest players from other clubs (meaning, our players can only come from Kings that play in CUSL or Buckeye).
You can look at this lack of subs as and obstacle, or an opportunity. When I play, and I show up and see we have four subs, I get sort of frustrated. That means less time for me on the field. I sincerely like having no more than 2 subs when I play (and I am not nearly in the shape as you girls). I HOPE you look at this as an opportunity to play more. I hope you look at this as a challenge. However you look at this is a statement of your Character... Read that previous line over again. Is this an obstacle or opportunity? I hope you see this as an opportunity.
If you girls plan on playing in college, remember this---you get to sub 2x each half. THAT IS IT. And when you sub someone out, they are out for the rest of the game. Soccer is an endurance sport like no other.
Remember our talk Monday. WORK SMART. When an outside back makes a forward run, that forward she overlaps, instantly becomes a fullback, and that outside back stays at the forward position until a smart time for the switch back makes sense. And what would the smartest time be??? Probably when the outside back (who was a forward), makes a run and overlaps the forward--who then becomes the outside back... This is the same if an Attacking mid overlaps the target on the attack. She will stay the target, and the target can become the attacking mid until you find a good time to switch back. I DO NOT WANT these girls having to run the length of the field to get back on defense, when a SIMPLE SWITCH makes most sense. With that said, I expect us to work as hard as ever in being first to ball, checking to space, etc--just work smarter. We should have always been doing this anyway, but this situation is going to force you to do this to conserve energy--SEE, THIS IS TRULY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY THIS GAME THE RIGHT WAY IN ROTATIONS--the way you should have always been playing!
Lastly, I do want to say this. If I feel that missing too many practices and/or games is hurting the team--meaning the other girls are advancing and you are not because of too many missed practices---then it would only be fair to the other girls on the team for me to discuss this with you and your parents and figure out a plan that makes sense for all.
Thanks girls for reading this. If any parents or girls have any questions, comments, or concerns with this, please let me know.
Brian
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