The next morning went the same as it had for the past couple years. Breakfast was hectic with the equipment staff having to circle back with each other ever 2 minutes make sure they had all the equipment needed for the girls and training, while also making sure everything was set out for each individual player.
The players were pretty calm since most of them were still nursing on their first cup.
By 9 we were all waiting in the lobby for the rest of the girls to show up.
On the field was a whole different story the girls were energized and upbeat. Joking around while still stretching just keeping the mood light.
I talk with my position coaches to plan out the 3-hour practice so that we got the most out of the girls without putting them out risk for any injuries.
After the girls have run through their stretches I call them to the center circle. Once all have gathered around I put my plan into motion. "First practice of this camp and my first practice as coach. Defenders I want you to just work on foot placement and how to shut down our opposition. Midfield I want you to work on spacial awareness, not only were your teammates are but where your defender and the next closes defender. Forwards I want you to start working on crosses we have a team of 22 finishers I want play makers. Keepers you will be working on up downs. Talk to Hope about all the details I'll watch over everything and take notes as well as adjust as need be. Don't stop until your name or number is shouted we will not give up on a ball until the whistle is blown. If you are seen to stop moving before your name or number is called you will be staying back to run laps. Understood?"
A sea of "got it", "understood" and nods protrude from the players around me. I nod my head and they head over to their assigned roles. I walk to the sideline and grab my notebook and pen. I give them all 5 minutes to fully hear or the drill and take their first run through before starting my training session.
I start by observing my defenders. Crystal was picking up quick shifting her feet to give her the ability to move in either direction without having to take a extra step while lower the chances of her getting megged. Kelley picked up decently quick but had a hard time adjusting her foot placement. Tiernia was the quickest to pick up on all changes that we made and was a model student. Even being able to pick her self bigger with a narrower stance which is hard to do without drawing a hand ball. Becky has a hard time adjusting but with a few adjustments I made to help get her close to what I wanted without making her change her playing style.
After being thoroughly impressed with the progresse the defenders made I move to the forwards since the middies have the hardest job since they have to rely on their senses rather then just like if I run into a problem I'll try to get out of it. Press was sending in beautiful crosses hitting back post, right in front of the penalty marker, right outside the 18 and front post. Rapinoe was struggling to get the height on the ball to make it to front post. Morgan was doing fine I gave her a few pointers to get a little extra power on her cross without overshooting the ball or not being able to get the ball off the ground.
Moving to the midfielders, Tobin adapted well and was showing how much she was willing to change to fit into my lineup. Allie long was struggling to pay attention to everything so I decided to fully step in. "Stop Play!" All the middies stop moving as I approach Allie in the middle of the 20 yard stretch with Sam infront of her and rose, and Julie behind her. I grab the ball from infront of Allie. "Let's get rid of the ball and let's run this without a ball I want you to keep your head raised, jog and never look back. You can see Sam but with your head up I want you to focus on the sound of the players behind you. Ok?"
"Ok." We run through it 3 times before she finally gets the hang of just going off of hearing instead of taking your eyes off of the defender infront of her. While there was a definite learning curve since most of the players weren't used to having to focus on more then two things at once much less 4-5 things at once but once they all started running it without the ball a few times before adding the ball into play it definitely helped to shorten the curve.
I move to Keepers next as they had the most physical assignment. They would have to block a shot in one of the top corners and then get up as kick as they can and block a shot in a low corner. As a lot of keepers don't get up quick enough to stop the next shot of the ball wasn't cleared or caught. Jane made quick work of it, as did Alyssa, Ashlyn had a hard time getting back enough and moving to the opposite post then diving for the ball as well as A.D. I corrected Ashlyn's posture on the initial "save" so that it would leave her with a better chance of landing on closer to the post without being on the outside of it and then taught her a catchers strategy for them to pop up form their knees quick so they could make a play. She adapted and overcame the barrier with little to no hesitation even though I wasn't basically changing her stance which doesn't seem like an issue but it would be like telling a right footed forward to move to the left side and only shoot with her left after never working with it.
Too say I was impressed would've been the understatement of the century. After I made sure all my notes were at least accurate I closed my note and called a stop to all groups. I flag in everyone including the coaching staff to the side line. "I'm impressed with the improvements you all have made in the 1 hour tells me more then any words or letters of recommendations from coaches. I low balled all of you thinking it would take some of the groups at least a week to nail what I expected of them but in the singular hour almost all of you are running everything perfectly. Don't get me wrong their is always room for improvement but since you have exceeded my expectations thus far I will give you something more fun then let's say, the 10k come drill." They all laugh causing me to pause as every soccer player has done one of those passing or ball control drills that involve a 10 minute explanations that nobody understands and a sea of orange cones that kinda look like a sketch of the lockness monster. "Alright so I want you all to line up in accordance to positions. If handed a blue penny you will go to the left side of the field if handed a red penny you go to the right. And I will be switching teams whenever I see fit to make a mock outline of the starting 11. I will also send out the top 11 for both teams if not on the starting 11 you will be put into rotation later on. Play like a game, with that being said throw a dirty tackle and I will make you experience hell on earth or as I call it " Sicarii" I recommend you google them after this training session but your body will feel as did the people who suffered did." I pick the team and make adjustments as necessary making sure every player got ample amount of playing time as well as expirmenting with players. I throw Kelley up top and dropped Tobin back as well as throwing Dunn up top and dropping press back with Julie and horan as CB's so we could carry out a devastating assault team. We would play high the whole match and just pound a opponent shot after shot not letting anybody passed half. When I said I would not accept failure I meant it.
I finally call practice after Allie's second bad tackle that then resulted in sonnett almost getting physical with Long. As soon as Emily popped up from the ground and raised her fist towards Long I interjected myself in between the two girls to stop any altercations from arising between the two players.
"Both of you are doing what I say and there will be no back talk or interruptions while I speak. When doing what I instruct you are to not speak this will be done in silence. Any objections?" I'm taunting the girls to object, and they both know what I'm doing so they shake their head no.
I nod satisfied by their answer and start walking towards the end line. They walk behind me silently, tensions were still high and this punishment was long enough to make them fully reflect on their actions. "I want you to bear crawl to that end line and back. You will not stop until I say so. Your knees touch the ground and you will do an extra lap. Understood?" They both nod and get into position as soon as they start I walk along side them to make sure they touch the line and that their knees don't touch. I make them do this for about 20 minutes before instructing them to stand. I can tell by the sighs how happy they are to stand but I know once I announce the next excersice they will be begging to go back to the bear crawl. "You will be doing 50 40's I've set out markers 40 yards out. It's pretty straight forward you sprint from one cone to the next and then as soon as you finish you start the next one. And don't try just running I know your average running speed and you both have stat trackers on you." They both look pissed but oblige as I blow my whistle and they start the hellish exercise. When I played football I used to have to do this everyday as I was always late to class, or got in trouble, or was fighting.
After the 50 are done Allie looks like she is about to puke and Emily would kill me if she could walk. "Good job. Now you get to do my absoulute favorite but don't worry since there is only one more excersixe after this. Thankfully someone just happened to leave out 2 25 pound weight plates." I hold up the two weight plates and walk to the end line. They oblige like lost puppies. Once all of us are gathered at the end line I hand them their plates. " you will be doing walking lunges down and back but instead of just going straight down and back you will be doing them in suicide format so 18,half, other 18, opposite end line. Go until I tell you to stop." I can tell they want to object but decide not to. They at least lucked out since I used to do this with a 45 pound plate and I had to do a suicide format but instead of just 5 markers their was a marker placed every 10 yards. After they finish two sets of the lunges I stop and they all but fall to their knees in praise. I decided I should go easy on them after all that and give them my personal favorite(just kidding this one made me want to knock out my coach every time.) " You will complete the 100 burpees the only difference is that you will be jumping over a hurdle set at women's collegiate height 33 inches if you fail to jump over the hurdle then that rep does not count you will not start from zero but you will remove two reps. Hope will keep score for Emily and Christie will keep score for Allie." I grab the two hurdles and set them up. I blow my whistle. I walk to the sideline where my kids were sitting with some of the players.
As I'm taking a sip of water I hear Christie shouting. I look up and see Allie with her middle finger raised towards me and Christie. I walk over to them.
Once infront of the two women I start talking immediately shutting them both up. "Christie it's okay. Please go have a seat with the other staff." I wait for her to leave before I start talking to Allie. "I'm not going to lecture you nor will I do it here. Please come see me in meeting room 5 floor 2 after lunch don't mention this conversation. I think we both need to have a conversation and I would rather have it in private rather then in public." She nods and walks to the bench. Emily though is going strong I can tell her muscles are arching and she wants to quit but she is proving her resilience. After she has completed all 100 reps she stands up on shaking legs.
I walk towards her. "Please sit." She does as told as I hand her two wet rags and a water bottle. " I hope that workout gave you time to reflect and I'm impressed I remember my first probably 15 times doing that because I never finished it I always would walk away after the 50 40's. Until my coach sat me down and talked to me. So you doing everything proved to me just how much you are willing to work. I do still want to have a conversation with you but I will do it in your room since I don't think you will be walking normal for at least 3 days. Now you can hop on my back and let me carry you since I don't think you can make it on your own or you can try and walk it out?"
She slowly gets to her feet. I hunch over allowing her the opportunity to get on my back if she wishes to do so. And she does. I walk to the sideline. " let's board the bus. Everyone will be doing a mandatory 1 hour recovery. And please if you feel any pain or discomfort go to the at's I don't care if you think it's a being a baby I would rather have you at 100 percent and sit out a practice or two then you playing at 50 or 60!precent and then having to sit out longer because you overworked an injury." They nod and follow me to the bus. I set Emily in her seat and walk up to mine. Allie avoids my gaze while getting on the bus.
======
I know it's been a hot minute since I've updated so here y'all go but really do check out Sicarii it's eye opening and very dark but cool to read up on.