Rochester Pride - RSC Lightning '96

In their inaugural foray into the ranks of select soccer, Thunder accomplished everything I hoped they would do all weekend long: [1] To learn what it was to play high caliber competition. [2] To use the tournament to acclimate to a new level and style of play [3] To continually improve as the weekend progressed. These points were achieved over the weekend – and the 3rd point, to continually improve as the weekend progressed, was achieved to a degree far beyond my greatest hopes. The 1st game came Friday evening against Shelby USL was the rude awakening that one might have predicted. Not only was this our first select match, but in addition they were older, bigger, and well established. As we discovered, we would spend the weekend playing 3 opponents not only a year older, but also all 3 opponent were from the state’s premier division. Unsurprisingly, USL dominated that match and won handily 5-0. It was important not to focus on the loss, but to use the match to identify items for improvement, and then put those points for improvement to work. For the next match against Windsor United Saturday morning, we met early and discussed areas where we could improve. Out of the suggestions the girls came up with, we decided to narrow the focus to 2 main points: marking/tracking and defensive organization. Over the course of the match, the defensive backs appeared more confident playing against the generally bigger & stronger u14 opponents than they did the evening before and the midfield (both wide and central) did a far better job of dropping back to aid in the defensive needs of the team than they did Friday. The high work-rate of the collapse-expand nature of the wide midfield assignment could gradually be seen to be taking hold among the players. And, although, in the end the 5-0 scoreline mirrored the previous match – the effort and quality of play far exceeded the previous day’s standard. There was vast and marked improvement in Thunder’s game and we were definitely headed in the right direction. The afternoon match would pit us against GSPA Breakers from Grosse Pointe, coached by a friend of mine, Dan Kelly. This would be an important test because Breakers had earlier in the day manhandled the Shelby team that only the day before had manhandled us. Once again, looking to adjust and improve on 2-3 focus points for this game, Thunder made strides forward that were both obvious and significant. The defensive organization continued to improve. And overall, the team played much in unison with each other; in short - more as a team. And despite the 2-0 loss, the day was an unquestionable success by every standard I am looking for. Thunder, we played 3 teams that are a year older, that have been playing together many years and that compete at the highest level the state has to offer. These teams should have beaten us this weekend – and they did. That’s fine. I care very little about the final scores. What I saw happen this weekend was far more important than any scores. I saw excellent attitudes. I saw the ability to respond & adapt to match situations. I saw steady improvement. I saw forethought and insight. I saw everybody work very very hard. And even more impressively, I saw everybody continue to fight and work hard, even toward the ends of matches that we were clearly going to lose. 2 different coaches (USL & Breakers) actually came up to me privately to compliment you girls on your play, and especially on this no-quit spirit you displayed. That sort of spirit and work ethic speaks volumes of the character of this team and the players on it. It tells me that Coach Joe & I made the right choices when we selected you for a place on this team. And we improved markedly every half of soccer that we played throughout the whole weekend. Like I told you at the team party Saturday – I don’t much care what the scores were, I care about what I see happening on the field. And what I see on the field are a hard working group of players, hungry to play, willing to work, and able adapt and improve very quickly and very effectively. Let’s make this weekend the tone-setter for this season. I am very serious about that. Because with this work-ethic, this determination, this capacity for quick adjustment and improvement, we have exactly what we need for an amazing and successful season. Concentrate on those things, and the results will take care of themselves. Because of this weekend, I am more excited about this autumn and our prospects this season than I have been ever since tryouts. Great job girls. Very well done.