In the middle of August, I saw on the W-League website that the W-League Combine was being held in Tampa, FL at the end of September. For a few days then, I was obsessively checking the WPSL site for the announcement of our combine, but wasn't finding anything.
Out of curiosity, and for the slimmest of chances, I emailed the owner of the Hampton Roads Piranhas--who I was a member of for the first month of the season at the beginning of the summer. I asked her if, since I was with the team for a few weeks, I could sign up for the W-League Combine. She said to emai the person in charge.
So, I sent an email to the person in charge of the W-League Combine and told her about my ordeal and questioned whether I could sign up or if it was a far shot. She immediately replied that the tryout combine was now accepting requests from any players, and that I should register online. I registered immediately!! Went online and filled out a questionnaire, which included my GKing awards from high school, college and my WPSL team, Lancaster Inferno. With my postseason honors this past summer, I figured it might up my chances!
WITHIN 24 HOURS, I received an email saying that I had been accepted to the combine!! I was ecstatic!!!!!! I called Katie Lamm up and told her about it and that she should register as well. Long story short, she also applied and was accepted!! So we are both going down to Tampa, FL together!!!!!
There will be about 90 players there, and all the WPS coaches will be in attendance. Teams are from Los Angeles (CA), Bay Area (CA), St. Louis (MO), Chicago (IL), NY/NJ, Washington (DC), and Boston (MA). The two expansion teams joining next March are Atlanta (GA) and Philly (PA).
I am beyond excited and so thankful for this opportunity!!! I am training 6/7 days a week on top of coaching and finding a substituting job around here. Training is going well, and for one of the first times in my soccer career, I can really tell that it's paying off! I feel stronger and my feet are getting quicker everyday!
Will keep you updated as I continue to train! Will most definitely try to keep you updated while I'm in FL from Sept. 24-27 as well!!! Woooohooooo!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Inferno Season Wrap-Up
INFERNO
Katie's aunt lives down in Atlantic City, so over the weekend that we played there, we stayed at her aunt's house! We drove down Friday night and walked the boardwalk. Saturday, we got up for a morning run and then spent the day on the beach. We both got burnt, but Katie got it worse ; ) Sunday, we kept it on the down low and played a little mini golf on the boardwalk. I'd like to announce that I beat Katie by 5... yes, 5... strokes!!! 2 for 2 in mini golf this summer--both games against Katie : D
@ AC Diablos
Sunday night, we met up with the team at AC Diablos' stadium and played a great game! I FINALLY got to do something other than take a goal kick, a punt, or clean up a thru ball or a cross!!! They started off the game by getting a freak breakaway and putting it away--their first threat of any kind on our half of the field. Down 0-1. Honestly, if we had gone into halftime with that score, I was ready to rip up the team. We weren't playing very well, or with purpose, and obviously not finishing. However, we scored two in a row just before halftime.
Late in the second half, AC came down the field and a girl took a shot that had the far lower left (her left, my right) side-netting written all over it. I was like, NO WAY is this gonna happen. Not on my watch! I threw myself horizontal to my left and tipped the ball wide... rolling in such a way that I got to see the ball literally curve JUST around the post and out of bounds. It was so surreal and amazing, words don't give it justice in explaining it!! I was like, did that just happen?! Still leading 2-1.
We went on to win 3-1, knocking AC Diablos out of the playoffs... for the second straight year : )
PLAYOFFS
We finished the season in 3rd place with a 7-1-2 record. Loss to Boston. Ties to Maryland and Long Island. We were pretty set on having to host Philly, Bay State or Millburn...
However, the league decided to shake things up a bit, and re-structured the 8 playoff teams by ordering them by difficulty of schedule. So, instead of being in 3rd and hosting a first-round playoff game, we somehow got placed 8th and had to travel up to Boston!!
BOSTON (east quarterfinals)
We started up on Friday night, driving about halfway. Stayed in a hotel that night, and traveled the rest of the way Saturday.
Talk about being stoked to play. Coming into the game, I knew that if there was any game in the past two seasons that I'd get to do anything, it was going to be tonight. I was ready, to say the least. Our team is amazing, and because of our amazingness, I didn't have to do anything hard back there in goal for the past two years. Combined, I may have made 10 saves altogether in the past two seasons. No lie. And of those 10 saves, only 2 of them were hard. I was ready to show everyone what I'm made of!
The game started off super intense and crazy for the first 20 minutes as Boston threw everything forward while we were trying to adjust to the fast surface (super-short turf grass field). Boston players were using every single trick in the book to try and get through. We were bending, but we weren't breaking. I was trying to get my bearings as the faster surface threw off my judgment of thru balls, getting lucky that my hesitations weren't costing me or the team. I'll admit, I was jittery at first.
Their first real shot came along. I don't really remember how anything happened, but a ball was coming diagonally across the top of my box. I started to go out to get it, but it hit off one of my defenders. Quickly, I realized I had to get out of no-man's-land and back in goal, because the ball was landing straight into the path of a Boston girl, coming straight on goal. She unleashed a rocket of a shot from about 20 yds out that was definitely going to dip just under the crossbar. I got back just in time to extend up and tip that crap over the bar. Ridiculous. I remember thinking, that was sick! That's a shot you see on TV and you're like, that's in. And I said, nope. The girl who came in to mark me during the ensuing corner kick was like, that was a "hell of a save, Keep. Wow! That was dipping in and I don't even know how you saved that. That was amazing." (ahhhhhh!!!! speechless)!!!!
Later in the half, one of my defenders got schooled and suddenly, I was caught in a breakaway just inside the top of the 18. For whatever reason, the girl just laid into the shot (instead of dribbling in and schooling me, which is what I was expecting). It literally came straight to my face, just a slight bit off to the right side, and I somehow got my hand up enough and got enough of a touch on it to send it careening out of bounds for a corner. It was one of those shots where I knew I may have gotten a little too much of my hand on the ball, and didn't want to turn around, because I thought that it could have slowed it enough to put it in the net. Luckily, not.
We escaped the first half 0-0. The second part of the half was much better as we began to acclimate to the surface and started making holes in their defense. Now, it was game on!
Second half was even sweeter than the first!! We came out and scored a goal within 5 mins of kickoff. Suh-weet!!!! Erin "freakin" Hench scored... I love that girl! So we're up 1-0. About 20 mins into the half, we turn the ball over in the midfield, and before I know it, I've got a girl lacing a ball to the the far upper-90 (my left). I was like, "oh no you don't!" and literally laid out horizontal 4 feet up in the air and parried the ball to my left. It dribbled towards the sideline, Carli Brill (LOVE that girl!), got the ball and passed it up to midfield. Not more than one or two passes later, Emily "flippin" Peters (LOVE that girl!) was putting that ball in the back of their net. 2-0. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
However, on the ensuing kickoff for Boston, they came down and absolutely laced a perfectly dipping shot for the far upper-90 (my left). It literally kept rising as I leaped up to try and tip it, and came down right as I started falling back down. I mean, really?! I just couldn't pull another trick out of the hat. Up 2-1 with 25 mins remaining-ish (there was no clock, so the last 25 mins felt like an eternity)!
Those last 25 mins were excrutiating (no scoreboard with the time ticking down). Boston threw anything and everything forward. We were playing pinball inside the 18 most of that time. It was insane, crazy, nerve-racking, and annoying all at the same time! Luckily, nothing got through. Their GK, Phillips (GREAT GK, by the way... better than me), was playing extremely high, as another attacking player. At some point, we got the ball to Katie out at left midfield, where she was being defended by Phillips. She juked her with a fake, got around her, and simply hit the ball "in the general direction" of the goal. Doesn't it flippin' go in?!?!?! Up 3-1.
We went on to win that game 3-1. Boston gave us our first loss of the season in our first game. We repayed them with their first loss of their season, and an early--and very unexpected--exit from the playoffs. Ummm...PERFECTION!!!!!!
I couldn't have been prouder of my teammates!! We were spectacular! I got so many comments and probably sounded cocky as I was like, "this was my time to shine" and "that game was to make up for having nothing to do for all of the past two seasons!" But it was simply a testament to just how good we are.
Here are some articles written after this game:
WPSL write-up of game: http://www.wpsl.info/news/index.php?cat=1&id=811
Boston's write-up: http://www.soccer-new-england.com/Aztecs-Burned-by-Inferno.html
New England write-up: http://www.neaztec.com/AboutUs/NewsArchive/News_July2009_WomenPlayoffs/tabid/10471/Default.aspx
WPSL Team of the Week: http://www.wpsl.info/news/index.php?cat=1&id=812
MILLBURN (east semifinals)
Hosted Millburn at our field! For some reason, left their tallest player unmarked on their first corner kick of the game. Down 0-1. In second, and final, blunder of the night, decided to not mark someone coming through on a crossed ball. Down 0-2.
Luckily, we turned it around in the second half, and scored 2 great goals. Ended regulation and two overtimes 2-2. On to PK's. Coach says, "who is confident in taking a PK?" Surprisingly, my hand was the first one up. We gradually got all five kickers, with me kicking 3rd.
There were two ball girls sitting over where the "18" meets the end line. They were asking if I was nervous and I said a little. But that I was ready! I talked to them between each kicker.
Did my best job ever in "guessing" correctly with which way to dive on all kickers but the first. However, wouldn't you know it, all four of them hit as side-netting as you can get--just inside the posts. Gosh, it would have been a super way to advance to the finals, if the girls from Millburn hadn't hit their shots so perfectly! I mean, I gotta give 'em credit, they got the job done, and they got the job done well!!
Oh, and I stepped up and NAILED my PK...perfectly into the side-netting, 4 feet off the ground. Take that! My 3rd PK made in my 3rd losing effort... : /
All-East Conference Team: http://www.wpsl.info/news/index.php?cat=1&id=822
It was a super great season! Thanks to Coach Doug for giving us the opportunity to play and further our skills and possibly our futures.
Katie's aunt lives down in Atlantic City, so over the weekend that we played there, we stayed at her aunt's house! We drove down Friday night and walked the boardwalk. Saturday, we got up for a morning run and then spent the day on the beach. We both got burnt, but Katie got it worse ; ) Sunday, we kept it on the down low and played a little mini golf on the boardwalk. I'd like to announce that I beat Katie by 5... yes, 5... strokes!!! 2 for 2 in mini golf this summer--both games against Katie : D
@ AC Diablos
Sunday night, we met up with the team at AC Diablos' stadium and played a great game! I FINALLY got to do something other than take a goal kick, a punt, or clean up a thru ball or a cross!!! They started off the game by getting a freak breakaway and putting it away--their first threat of any kind on our half of the field. Down 0-1. Honestly, if we had gone into halftime with that score, I was ready to rip up the team. We weren't playing very well, or with purpose, and obviously not finishing. However, we scored two in a row just before halftime.
Late in the second half, AC came down the field and a girl took a shot that had the far lower left (her left, my right) side-netting written all over it. I was like, NO WAY is this gonna happen. Not on my watch! I threw myself horizontal to my left and tipped the ball wide... rolling in such a way that I got to see the ball literally curve JUST around the post and out of bounds. It was so surreal and amazing, words don't give it justice in explaining it!! I was like, did that just happen?! Still leading 2-1.
We went on to win 3-1, knocking AC Diablos out of the playoffs... for the second straight year : )
PLAYOFFS
We finished the season in 3rd place with a 7-1-2 record. Loss to Boston. Ties to Maryland and Long Island. We were pretty set on having to host Philly, Bay State or Millburn...
However, the league decided to shake things up a bit, and re-structured the 8 playoff teams by ordering them by difficulty of schedule. So, instead of being in 3rd and hosting a first-round playoff game, we somehow got placed 8th and had to travel up to Boston!!
BOSTON (east quarterfinals)
We started up on Friday night, driving about halfway. Stayed in a hotel that night, and traveled the rest of the way Saturday.
Talk about being stoked to play. Coming into the game, I knew that if there was any game in the past two seasons that I'd get to do anything, it was going to be tonight. I was ready, to say the least. Our team is amazing, and because of our amazingness, I didn't have to do anything hard back there in goal for the past two years. Combined, I may have made 10 saves altogether in the past two seasons. No lie. And of those 10 saves, only 2 of them were hard. I was ready to show everyone what I'm made of!
The game started off super intense and crazy for the first 20 minutes as Boston threw everything forward while we were trying to adjust to the fast surface (super-short turf grass field). Boston players were using every single trick in the book to try and get through. We were bending, but we weren't breaking. I was trying to get my bearings as the faster surface threw off my judgment of thru balls, getting lucky that my hesitations weren't costing me or the team. I'll admit, I was jittery at first.
Their first real shot came along. I don't really remember how anything happened, but a ball was coming diagonally across the top of my box. I started to go out to get it, but it hit off one of my defenders. Quickly, I realized I had to get out of no-man's-land and back in goal, because the ball was landing straight into the path of a Boston girl, coming straight on goal. She unleashed a rocket of a shot from about 20 yds out that was definitely going to dip just under the crossbar. I got back just in time to extend up and tip that crap over the bar. Ridiculous. I remember thinking, that was sick! That's a shot you see on TV and you're like, that's in. And I said, nope. The girl who came in to mark me during the ensuing corner kick was like, that was a "hell of a save, Keep. Wow! That was dipping in and I don't even know how you saved that. That was amazing." (ahhhhhh!!!! speechless)!!!!
Later in the half, one of my defenders got schooled and suddenly, I was caught in a breakaway just inside the top of the 18. For whatever reason, the girl just laid into the shot (instead of dribbling in and schooling me, which is what I was expecting). It literally came straight to my face, just a slight bit off to the right side, and I somehow got my hand up enough and got enough of a touch on it to send it careening out of bounds for a corner. It was one of those shots where I knew I may have gotten a little too much of my hand on the ball, and didn't want to turn around, because I thought that it could have slowed it enough to put it in the net. Luckily, not.
We escaped the first half 0-0. The second part of the half was much better as we began to acclimate to the surface and started making holes in their defense. Now, it was game on!
Second half was even sweeter than the first!! We came out and scored a goal within 5 mins of kickoff. Suh-weet!!!! Erin "freakin" Hench scored... I love that girl! So we're up 1-0. About 20 mins into the half, we turn the ball over in the midfield, and before I know it, I've got a girl lacing a ball to the the far upper-90 (my left). I was like, "oh no you don't!" and literally laid out horizontal 4 feet up in the air and parried the ball to my left. It dribbled towards the sideline, Carli Brill (LOVE that girl!), got the ball and passed it up to midfield. Not more than one or two passes later, Emily "flippin" Peters (LOVE that girl!) was putting that ball in the back of their net. 2-0. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
However, on the ensuing kickoff for Boston, they came down and absolutely laced a perfectly dipping shot for the far upper-90 (my left). It literally kept rising as I leaped up to try and tip it, and came down right as I started falling back down. I mean, really?! I just couldn't pull another trick out of the hat. Up 2-1 with 25 mins remaining-ish (there was no clock, so the last 25 mins felt like an eternity)!
Those last 25 mins were excrutiating (no scoreboard with the time ticking down). Boston threw anything and everything forward. We were playing pinball inside the 18 most of that time. It was insane, crazy, nerve-racking, and annoying all at the same time! Luckily, nothing got through. Their GK, Phillips (GREAT GK, by the way... better than me), was playing extremely high, as another attacking player. At some point, we got the ball to Katie out at left midfield, where she was being defended by Phillips. She juked her with a fake, got around her, and simply hit the ball "in the general direction" of the goal. Doesn't it flippin' go in?!?!?! Up 3-1.
We went on to win that game 3-1. Boston gave us our first loss of the season in our first game. We repayed them with their first loss of their season, and an early--and very unexpected--exit from the playoffs. Ummm...PERFECTION!!!!!!
I couldn't have been prouder of my teammates!! We were spectacular! I got so many comments and probably sounded cocky as I was like, "this was my time to shine" and "that game was to make up for having nothing to do for all of the past two seasons!" But it was simply a testament to just how good we are.
Here are some articles written after this game:
WPSL write-up of game: http://www.wpsl.info/news/index.php?cat=1&id=811
Boston's write-up: http://www.soccer-new-england.com/Aztecs-Burned-by-Inferno.html
New England write-up: http://www.neaztec.com/AboutUs/NewsArchive/News_July2009_WomenPlayoffs/tabid/10471/Default.aspx
WPSL Team of the Week: http://www.wpsl.info/news/index.php?cat=1&id=812
MILLBURN (east semifinals)
Hosted Millburn at our field! For some reason, left their tallest player unmarked on their first corner kick of the game. Down 0-1. In second, and final, blunder of the night, decided to not mark someone coming through on a crossed ball. Down 0-2.
Luckily, we turned it around in the second half, and scored 2 great goals. Ended regulation and two overtimes 2-2. On to PK's. Coach says, "who is confident in taking a PK?" Surprisingly, my hand was the first one up. We gradually got all five kickers, with me kicking 3rd.
There were two ball girls sitting over where the "18" meets the end line. They were asking if I was nervous and I said a little. But that I was ready! I talked to them between each kicker.
Did my best job ever in "guessing" correctly with which way to dive on all kickers but the first. However, wouldn't you know it, all four of them hit as side-netting as you can get--just inside the posts. Gosh, it would have been a super way to advance to the finals, if the girls from Millburn hadn't hit their shots so perfectly! I mean, I gotta give 'em credit, they got the job done, and they got the job done well!!
Oh, and I stepped up and NAILED my PK...perfectly into the side-netting, 4 feet off the ground. Take that! My 3rd PK made in my 3rd losing effort... : /
All-East Conference Team: http://www.wpsl.info/news/index.php?cat=1&id=822
It was a super great season! Thanks to Coach Doug for giving us the opportunity to play and further our skills and possibly our futures.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Summer 2009
SUMMER SOCCER
So much has happened/changed since my last post in May... The first, and biggest change has been where and for what team I'm playing this summer. My last post says I was playing in VA Beach with the Hampton Roads Piranhas of the W-League... However, things didn't work out there--mostly due to my schedule with teaching all week, so i couldn't attend practices. So, as this was all coming to light, my best friend Katie was talking to me about the Lancaster Inferno (WPSL) that I played on last year. She said they still didn't have a GK. So, after a week of talking with both coaches, I made the switch to the Inferno. I had been excited to play in a different league and to stay with my awesome host family in VA Beach, but with where I am and where I want to go in my soccer career, I need playing time. So, it was great to be back with the Inferno for Summer 2009!!
INFERNO
Our season started out with 3 strong teams. We lost to Boston Aztecs (5 contracted players with the Boston Breakers) and lost 1-3. And to date, we've scored the only goal against them!! Next up was a challenging weekend in Mass & CT. We handedly defeated NE Mutiny 3-0 through some stellar play all around the field! It was an exciting game! Then, we survived/outplayed SoccerPlus CT 3-2. A great weekend for our team!
We beat CDSA 4-0 at home, then beat TSC Maryland 2-0 on the road. We then hosted Maryland a week later and gave up a late goal to tie them 1-1. The next day, we hosted the Philly Liberty, with sole possession of 4th place on the line. We beat them 1-0! Two days later, we had a huge game hosting the undefeated Long Island Fury. We were down 0-2 at half, and came back to tie them 2-2 on some great passing, possession and finishing!!!
With only 8 available team members, we used the grateful help of 4 guest players to persevere and defeat CDSA, away, on the 4th of July, by a final score of 0-3. THANK YOU, GUEST PLAYERS FOR HELPING TO SAVE OUR SEASON!!!
So now, with one regular season game left (@ AC Diablos on July 12, 3-4-2), we are currently sitting in 3rd place with a record of 6-1-2. The top 8 teams from our East Division go to the East Division playoffs, with the top 4 teams hosting the first-round game. After winning the inter-division playoffs, we would go to the WPSL Final Four held in Long Island, NY in August. So let's keep rolling!!!
TEACHING
With the unexpected success of my WPS tryouts with the Freedom this past Feb/March, I've decided to pursue my soccer dream of playing professionally. To do this, I've decided to not teach next year at all. I'm going to look for a job around H'burg for the next year or so. In the meantime, I'm going to be coaching a club team this fall, and training for tryouts with a WPS team for next year's season. With the addition of Philly Independence and the Atlanta Beat next season, there are more opportunities, and I'm going to give it a go!
WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER
The inaugural season of WPS has been great to witness and watch! Attendance has been averaging over 5,000 fans each game, and the level of play is superb! While it's annoying, it's been great for all the teams (except the superior LA SOL) to be defeating each other on any given night. Nothing is expected and the action keeps me on the edge of my seat!
The two greatest aspects of the season for me have been 1) going to MD to cheer on the Wash. Freedom in person 4 times now! and 2) watching the games on FSC each Sunday night at 6pm. To be able to turn on the tv and watch the "big names" (national team players) playing with and against each other, and to see the "big college names" (names i've heard mostly thru ncaa tourney runs) playing with and against each other as well, has been great! And of course, having had the opportunity to play with the Freedom for a week, it's been fun watching them develop, gell and play together!
Go Freedom!!!
CLOSING...
So my weeks are busy with living in VA, traveling to PA for practices and games each week, and with trying to find a job or two for the fall/winter/spring. I have put on over 17,000 miles on my new 2005 Mazda3 (woohoo!!!) since buying it in January, and am MORE THAN READY for a week-long stay in VA this week... an extended trip to the beach with Katie (fri-tues) with our last regular season game Sun night nearby... and then a full week in PA with our playoff game being that Sat, July 18th. Can't wait!!!
CURRENTLY READING...
"The 13th Juror" by John Lescroart
"Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult
"Coaching the Mental Game: Leadership Philosophies and Strategies for Peak Performance in Sports--and Everyday Life" by H. A. Dorfman
So much has happened/changed since my last post in May... The first, and biggest change has been where and for what team I'm playing this summer. My last post says I was playing in VA Beach with the Hampton Roads Piranhas of the W-League... However, things didn't work out there--mostly due to my schedule with teaching all week, so i couldn't attend practices. So, as this was all coming to light, my best friend Katie was talking to me about the Lancaster Inferno (WPSL) that I played on last year. She said they still didn't have a GK. So, after a week of talking with both coaches, I made the switch to the Inferno. I had been excited to play in a different league and to stay with my awesome host family in VA Beach, but with where I am and where I want to go in my soccer career, I need playing time. So, it was great to be back with the Inferno for Summer 2009!!
INFERNO
Our season started out with 3 strong teams. We lost to Boston Aztecs (5 contracted players with the Boston Breakers) and lost 1-3. And to date, we've scored the only goal against them!! Next up was a challenging weekend in Mass & CT. We handedly defeated NE Mutiny 3-0 through some stellar play all around the field! It was an exciting game! Then, we survived/outplayed SoccerPlus CT 3-2. A great weekend for our team!
We beat CDSA 4-0 at home, then beat TSC Maryland 2-0 on the road. We then hosted Maryland a week later and gave up a late goal to tie them 1-1. The next day, we hosted the Philly Liberty, with sole possession of 4th place on the line. We beat them 1-0! Two days later, we had a huge game hosting the undefeated Long Island Fury. We were down 0-2 at half, and came back to tie them 2-2 on some great passing, possession and finishing!!!
With only 8 available team members, we used the grateful help of 4 guest players to persevere and defeat CDSA, away, on the 4th of July, by a final score of 0-3. THANK YOU, GUEST PLAYERS FOR HELPING TO SAVE OUR SEASON!!!
So now, with one regular season game left (@ AC Diablos on July 12, 3-4-2), we are currently sitting in 3rd place with a record of 6-1-2. The top 8 teams from our East Division go to the East Division playoffs, with the top 4 teams hosting the first-round game. After winning the inter-division playoffs, we would go to the WPSL Final Four held in Long Island, NY in August. So let's keep rolling!!!
TEACHING
With the unexpected success of my WPS tryouts with the Freedom this past Feb/March, I've decided to pursue my soccer dream of playing professionally. To do this, I've decided to not teach next year at all. I'm going to look for a job around H'burg for the next year or so. In the meantime, I'm going to be coaching a club team this fall, and training for tryouts with a WPS team for next year's season. With the addition of Philly Independence and the Atlanta Beat next season, there are more opportunities, and I'm going to give it a go!
WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER
The inaugural season of WPS has been great to witness and watch! Attendance has been averaging over 5,000 fans each game, and the level of play is superb! While it's annoying, it's been great for all the teams (except the superior LA SOL) to be defeating each other on any given night. Nothing is expected and the action keeps me on the edge of my seat!
The two greatest aspects of the season for me have been 1) going to MD to cheer on the Wash. Freedom in person 4 times now! and 2) watching the games on FSC each Sunday night at 6pm. To be able to turn on the tv and watch the "big names" (national team players) playing with and against each other, and to see the "big college names" (names i've heard mostly thru ncaa tourney runs) playing with and against each other as well, has been great! And of course, having had the opportunity to play with the Freedom for a week, it's been fun watching them develop, gell and play together!
Go Freedom!!!
CLOSING...
So my weeks are busy with living in VA, traveling to PA for practices and games each week, and with trying to find a job or two for the fall/winter/spring. I have put on over 17,000 miles on my new 2005 Mazda3 (woohoo!!!) since buying it in January, and am MORE THAN READY for a week-long stay in VA this week... an extended trip to the beach with Katie (fri-tues) with our last regular season game Sun night nearby... and then a full week in PA with our playoff game being that Sat, July 18th. Can't wait!!!
CURRENTLY READING...
"The 13th Juror" by John Lescroart
"Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult
"Coaching the Mental Game: Leadership Philosophies and Strategies for Peak Performance in Sports--and Everyday Life" by H. A. Dorfman
Monday, May 4, 2009
WPS is taking off!
The WPS (Women's Pro Soccer) is really taking off!! I absolutely look forward to Sunday nights when I get to turn on the TV (well, at a friend's house) and catch a great game of soccer on each week! And, every now and then, going up to DC to see the Freedom in action!
Last week's game--Freedom v FC Gold Pride--was absolutely amazing! From goalkeeper saves, to possession, to attacking, to all the goals!!! Definitely an on-the-edge-of-your-seat type of game! Congrats to the Freedom for earning their first win!!!! And on a personal note, it was so incredible to see Kati Jo Spisak playing in goal! To think that I trained with her and now she's playing over Briana Scurry (with all due respect, of course)... it's just a true example that the "little people" get their chances! All the best to KJ : )
And this week's game was just as riveting! First, the game showcased the winless/scoreless St. Louis Athletica vs. the freshly-first-win Freedom. Of course, my allegiance was with the Freedom, but I was really hoping that the Athletica could score a goal. Fortunately, I got to witness this game in person, with my soccer pops, Phil : ), and you can just ask him what I said: "I'd love to see Athletica score a goal, but then it'd be even better if we scored 5... and won!" Well, the Athletica did score a goal, x3, but the Freedom came storming back and tied it 3-3 to end the game. World-class goals by each team! Some great saves by both KJ and Solo (my favorite part of any game!!)! I really hope Daniela is okay. Praying it's not an ACL...
Well, this coming weekend, it's Sky Blue FC @ Chicago Red Stars. 6pm on FSC. Be there or be sad when you miss all the exciting top-level action!
Washington Freedom: www.washingtonfreedom.com/dc
WPS: www.womensprosoccer.com
EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT, 6PM ON FOX SOCCER CHANNEL (FSC)
*And then you'll have to watch the W-League Championship game on FSC on Fri or Sat, August 7 or 8 to see me playing in goal for the Hampton Roads Piranhas, and beating the other team to win it all : )
Hampton Roads Piranhas: www.hrpiranhas.com
W-League: http://wleague.uslsoccer.com/
Schedule: http://www.uslsoccer.com/schedules/2009/13598774.html
Last week's game--Freedom v FC Gold Pride--was absolutely amazing! From goalkeeper saves, to possession, to attacking, to all the goals!!! Definitely an on-the-edge-of-your-seat type of game! Congrats to the Freedom for earning their first win!!!! And on a personal note, it was so incredible to see Kati Jo Spisak playing in goal! To think that I trained with her and now she's playing over Briana Scurry (with all due respect, of course)... it's just a true example that the "little people" get their chances! All the best to KJ : )
And this week's game was just as riveting! First, the game showcased the winless/scoreless St. Louis Athletica vs. the freshly-first-win Freedom. Of course, my allegiance was with the Freedom, but I was really hoping that the Athletica could score a goal. Fortunately, I got to witness this game in person, with my soccer pops, Phil : ), and you can just ask him what I said: "I'd love to see Athletica score a goal, but then it'd be even better if we scored 5... and won!" Well, the Athletica did score a goal, x3, but the Freedom came storming back and tied it 3-3 to end the game. World-class goals by each team! Some great saves by both KJ and Solo (my favorite part of any game!!)! I really hope Daniela is okay. Praying it's not an ACL...
Well, this coming weekend, it's Sky Blue FC @ Chicago Red Stars. 6pm on FSC. Be there or be sad when you miss all the exciting top-level action!
Washington Freedom: www.washingtonfreedom.com/dc
WPS: www.womensprosoccer.com
EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT, 6PM ON FOX SOCCER CHANNEL (FSC)
*And then you'll have to watch the W-League Championship game on FSC on Fri or Sat, August 7 or 8 to see me playing in goal for the Hampton Roads Piranhas, and beating the other team to win it all : )
Hampton Roads Piranhas: www.hrpiranhas.com
W-League: http://wleague.uslsoccer.com/
Schedule: http://www.uslsoccer.com/schedules/2009/13598774.html
Thursday, April 16, 2009
First-ever Win in PCHS History!!!!
I am so incredibly proud of the boys' and girls' soccer teams at Page! The boys began the night with a bang as they quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead against Luray! They went on to post their first tie of the season, 2-2! They played hard. They played with purpose. And they played as a team!!
And my girls brought home Page County High School's first-ever win and shutout!!!!! We beat Luray 2-0! The girls played with such confidence, determination and passion! I couldn't be more proud! : ) There wasn't one star for us, either. I can't start singling out one person's exceptional play tonight, because I'd have to mention how each player raised her level to accomplish this win! Every single person on our team (even the two who unfortunately had to miss this game) contributed to this win... with their high work rate. their commitment to the team. their zest for learning how to play. their unselfishness. and with their collective goal of being aggressive!
Go Panthers!!!!!
And my girls brought home Page County High School's first-ever win and shutout!!!!! We beat Luray 2-0! The girls played with such confidence, determination and passion! I couldn't be more proud! : ) There wasn't one star for us, either. I can't start singling out one person's exceptional play tonight, because I'd have to mention how each player raised her level to accomplish this win! Every single person on our team (even the two who unfortunately had to miss this game) contributed to this win... with their high work rate. their commitment to the team. their zest for learning how to play. their unselfishness. and with their collective goal of being aggressive!
Go Panthers!!!!!
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