Week 1 Review:
We started off down 4-1, our team showed real determination in tying the game 4-4 then we fell apart to lose the game 9-4. The team played hard the whole time but we didn't play as a team. Too many individuals looking for their own stats. It was not just one player it was everyone that played offense. The defense struggled they didn't press the action which made it so that most of the the game the ball was in our defensive zone. In the end this can end up being a great lesson for the team
Week 2 Review:
Great game team what a change between week to week. Last week the 2 things that suffered excelled. The score was 3-0 coming from Sydney's Hat trick, and an excellent job from goalie Hanna. The passing was amazing and we only spent about 3 or 4 total minutes in our defensive zone. 2nd half we kept our mentality and Finished the game 9-0 Both Brianna R. and Abby both scored multiple goals Emily B. also added a goal and we had a flurry of assisters in this game. Sydney played great goalie as well in the 2nd half. Our defense today was amazing and our players seemed to gel this week. Keep up the good work girls.
Week 3 Review:
This is the week when we needed girls to step up. We were missing 3 girls this week 2 of our 4 current scorers missed, but Abby stepped up for our scoring but it was too little to late. She said it was her first 4 goal game so congrats. Our young girls Chastity and Emily stepped up with solid passing to gain assists. Goal tending was solid even with a first time first year goalie in Kayla and Sydney played very well especially with the number of quality shots on goal in the 2nd half. Defensively the girls played solid but it was more based on the defensive combinations which at times were unbalanced. The Girls once again fought back started losing 3-1 at the half tied it up then ended the game 6-4. We did find out that girls step up when needed we just need more girls to finish their opportunities.
Week 4 Review
Well this game came and went against the leagues top team. Final 8-2. This games started very slow for us giving up 2 quick goals and then actually slowing down the other team. Hanna played strong but we did fall behind at half 4-0. Second half started slow giving up a quick goal and then we actually settled down and chastity got her first U10 goal with the assist to Brianna K. which had her shot deflect to chastity, and late in the game Emily added a goal We had a first time goal tender in Katie she played well but didn't understand the position regarding punting/throwing. Defense played well all half to help out the first time goalie. If we stop taking the tough shots and pass we could of scored more so that will be what we focus on in practice.
Abby got hurt in baseball get well!!!
Week 5 Review:
Reverse of fortune is what I would say about this game. Megan from the First place team and 1 other player from that team became subs for the team with us missing our top scorer and the other team also adding there two top players. It turned primarily due to Megan's second half goaltending stopping double diget shots. First half we fell behind 4-2 with a goal kick score by Emily B. and a goal score by chastity with emily b assisting. Second half we bunched up way too much and struggled. We gave up 8 goals in the second half primarily late in the half. Final score 12-2.
Week 6 Review:
Well week 6 came and went our top 4 scorers Abby, Emily, Brianna, and Sydney all chiped in with a goal. Our 2 goalies Brianna R and Allura both had outstanding games We started the first half down 1-0 but rallied with 3 strait goals. to finish the half 3-1. Second half not as much offense because we were looking to win not to pad Statistics and played solid defense and ok on offense we just have to learn to finish. Take easier shots and pass up the hard shots. Final 4-3 victory.
Week 7 Review:
This week was played great. This team showed up as a team ready to play. Bad thing for us it was against the best team in the league. That didn't matter too much because we played them and took them to the limit. The scoring started off early with Brianna K. Followed by Abby scoring 2 more at half we led 3-2. Second half started slow we fell behind 4-3 and then Emily B scored to tie it up at 4. Chastity had 3 assists and Sydney added one as well. Allura and Emily G both got smacked with the ball with injuries but both came back in on the next shift. Hannah, Allura, and Sydney all played well in goal there best scorer scored 4 of their 6 goals. Final score was 6-4 loss. We ended the season 2-5 beating 2 of the 3 teams.
Season Recap:
The team was loaded with talent there is no question on that but we lacked as being a team. Too much Players playing for stats. That is the one thing that everyone has to learn on the team. It is not about how many goals you make but maximizing your opportunities by making the extra pass and taking your time with the ball when you have it.
Individual Recap
Abby Strengths great ball handler can find the back of the net because of her great decision making. Great one on one skills. Weakness needs to trust her team mates and not try so hard to beat 1 vs 2s. She has all the skills to be elite. Leading scorer
Emily B Strengths great in traffic excellent passer solid defender on both sides of the field. Weakness needs to not use her toe so much and needs to chase the ball, needs to work on her speed with the ball she has great natural speed she just needs a little more break away ability cause she is great finding the net she can excell if she gets breakaways down Second leading scorer.
Sydney Strengths the girl can play anywhere. She plays her position and excells she can dominate the ball and can score with anyone. She scored 5 goals this season while playing 3 games in goal for a half is very impressive. She is going to be a force next year in U-10. Weaknesses tries to hard to score needs to pass a little more. Has the ability to play all positions on the field.
Brianna R. Strengths she dominates the ball excellent sniper. She can shut people down on defense when in position. Weaknesses Needs to pass on offense more, play her position she likes to wonder, and she needs to trust her team mates. Superstar in the making but needs to work in order to be elite.
Brianna K. Strengths Strongest leg in league, Tons of heart excellent defensive positioning. Weaknesses need to work on offensive positioning, passing on offense, trust her team mates and stop being so hard on her self. Great player if she starts to trust she can be the best player cause of her natural ability.
Allura Strengths Excellent on defensive position keeping the ball on the offensive end and solid leg strength great decision making. She can play the entire field which is rare as a defensive player there are very few that can do that. Weaknesses needs to work on ballhandling and keeping her eye on the ball sometime she loses sight which is when she gets beat is usually why because she challenges everyone. She also needs to work on defense against 1 on 1 break aways. Once she learns to be competitive with defense she can be the best defender in ABE.
Hanna Strengths. Team player knows all of the positions and plays them all solid and has the potential to not only be the best goalie in ABE but also in beaver county if she loves it she should focus in on that cause she has the ability, confidence, positioning, and leg to do it on offense she has great field vision and passing. Weaknesses defensively can get out of position and as a midfield should push the action a bit more and not hang back as just defense. Elite goalie if focuses to get better can be one of those players that can start from Junior high on at the goal position.
Chastity Strengths Great passer, solid positioning, field awareness, can dominate the ball and one of a few players that can take on 3 players and beat it because she pushes through. She is all grit and grind. Weaknesses is leg strength, speed, making runs, and defensive positioning as midfielder, and spreading out. She led the team in Assists with 6 and as she gets bigger and faster has the ability to be an elite goal scorer.
Emily G. Strengths Leg Strength, Defensive clearing the ball offensive passing/centering, Great decision making and doesn't make a lot of mistakes anywhere on the field. Weakness Offensive positioning, she tends to hang back she needs to press. She also need to trust her defense when she is on offense. Once she builds back up her u-8 confidence she can be one of the best all around players.
Katy Strengths. you would never guess she was a first year player. solid ball handler and solid leg played amazing defensive position. Weaknesses she needs to work on offensive positioning and field awareness. The ability is there she just needs more opportunity of offense and goals will come.
Kayla Strengths 1st year player, Heart and hussles is an understatement for this girl she doesn't care who it is with the ball she is attacking. If she gets the basics with ball handling, passing and shooting she can be dangerous. Weaknesses is the basics but that can be learned positioning is the other thing she needs to work on because she over runs the ball a bit. You can't teach heart and hussle but you can teach the other things so it is going to be her choice by how good of a listener she is to how good she is going to get.
Coaching. I had so much offensive talent this year it was hard to balance things. Katy, Kayla, and Allura played primarily defense you may think Chastity and Emily G played mostly offense but quite a bit of the time they were midfielders pushing up trying to hold the ball up field.That is why it looked like They played more offense then anyone other than Emily B and Abby. Hannah and syd played everywhere it was primarily based on need at midfield or offense if it was a close game i generally had Brianna K, Sydney, and Hanna play back in a tight game because they had good positioning on defense and strong legs to clear it out. Brianna R was placed base on her mood that is why she played quite a bit of defense particularly in the second half.
I had a great time coaching and I thank Ron For helping I hope success to all of you in your future games. I am making a move to Monaca this summer so chastity is going to Central Valley. I hope to see all of you do well in your futures with soccer. I hope you learned something this year. And I can't wait until each of you hit high school so I can see your names in the news paper.
For the parents wondering why I coached the way I did at practice is because I have a growth Philosophy. U-6 is ballhandling, defense and aggressiveness.
U-8 is passing, breakaways, shooting and special teams(throw ins corner kicks, goal kicks, punting.
U-10 is strictly passing field awareness, and positioning.
If you wonder why I didn't focus on tricks and ballhandling that is because the basics is what they needed to focus on not being cute to make mistakes when they move up to U-12 they will focus more on ball handling and positioning up in u-14 is when you practice 3-5 days a week is when they focus on the tricks.
IF you noticed the rare tricks attempted usually backfired and the person generally lost control of the ball because the key to a trick move is knowing when to use it. The combination of teaching the move and when to use it would take weeks to teach it properly.