Sept. 4, 2011
The Season Has Begun

Break out the headphones, locker-room pep talks, and ice bags because the season has begun. The beginning of season always has its up and downs, and we’ve had our fair share of both. We’ve had halves where we’ve dominated, and halves where we’ve had to hold on. Our main focus at the beginning of the season is learning how to play as a new group and, with this new group, making the ups greater than the downs. We’ve accomplished that task, remaining undefeated four games in, but know we will have to improve to accomplish the goals we want to accomplish this season.

There have definitely been positive signs from this season so far. This has been the most talented Santa Clara group I have been a part of since beginning my career here. We’ve had strings of possession that have looked like nothing I’ve witnessed here before, which is very exciting. We’ve been struggling to fire on all cylinders in front of both goals, but are working to try and play to our full potential as soon as possible.

The first couple of games were a bit hectic. We played well, for our first game, against San Jose State. However, we all knew we left the field with many more goals to be scored, and gifted them a goal with our first game jitters. Our second game against UCSB we showed good determination to overcome our initial flatness, an own goal, and a pestering Gaucho group to win the game in its waning moments. Our third game of the season against Cal Poly. We came together before the game and acknowledged the necessity to improve. We played the game with the mentality that it was a tournament game, and the complete game finally came together for us. We played 90 minutes of good soccer, and came away with a solid win for the group.

Our most recent endeavor against Oregon State was a feisty one. A very back and forth game, and I think a tie was the deserved result for both teams. There was definitely an extra degree of physicality throughout the game, from both teams, leaving the game to only be defined as a battle. We dominated the first half, and they dominated the second. There were times for both sides where I’m sure each group understood their good fortune to escape the game with a tie. This game was our biggest learning experience to date.

We learned from the game, we learned about each other, and we learned about our group as a whole. We had players play positions they had never played before this season. We had our bench step up big time, not only with their on-field contribution, but with their voices and communication as well. We luckily got our
reality check early in the season: discovering that coming out and being complacent from our performance exhibited in the first half will leave us nothing but frustrated
at the end of the second. We regrouped after regulation ended, and responded with a very good effort from everyone in overtime.

All in all, I would say the phrase, “A tie is like kissing your brother,” fit perfectly for the day. While we know that we did not tarnish our record with a loss, and that each experience adds its own benefit to the group and our season, we walked off the field knowing we let the game go, and that we should’ve done more to get the W. Like I said above, it’s still early in the season, and we’re learning more and more about how to succeed with this new group every game. We also know with each game the “beginning of the season” phase begins to disappear, and the desire to improve no longer exists as a mere discussion, but as a determining factor in our success as a group.

Aug. 7, 2011

Santa Clara

Coming into my final preseason at Santa Clara, I can’t believe how much time I’ve actually spent here. In fact, I don’t even know how it all happened. Seconds turned into minutes turned into hours turned into days spent at this university, all without me even noticing. I figured I would try and recap, not only for you guys, but for myself, as to how I ended up spending such a huge chunk of my life at this place I now call home.

I guess it all started with soccer, right? My Dad did the whole parent/coach thing to get me started in soccer, and tried to get me into the sport at a young age. He bought all the coaching books, read the websites and forums, and excitedly implemented every drill he discovered. As an additional motivation to boost my interests in soccer, when I was 7, my father and I ventured out to Arizona to watch the US Youth Soccer National Championships and the Central Valley Mercury (our local U18 team) compete.  

I’m going to be honest and say that I do not remember much about the event, other then how hot it was, how I got us kicked out of one game for utilizing a noisemaker to its utmost abilities behind a goal (what can I say, you shouldn’t give kids noisemakers), and being hysterical after breaking the team’s assistant coach’s National Championship medal during the after party. The one and only soccer aspect that I do remember from the trip is how ridiculously good this Mercury team was. Granted the team was star-studded, having players like Aly Wagner, Danielle Slaton, Anna Kraus (just to name a few), but this team dominated its opponents at the highest club level. When I say dominated, I mean dominated, which I think is the only reason I remember this aspect of the trip. Most of the players on the Mercury were high school seniors, and once my Dad and I found out a few were going to Santa Clara, we anxiously anticipated going to their games. Having attended a few Santa Clara games before that era, we were excited to see an already amazing team impose their skills on future opponents.  

That, my friends, was all she wrote. Pretty much ever since, Santa Clara has been my hang out. I saw Buckshaw go from a baseball outfield to the best field I’ve ever played on. I was heartbroken at Spartan Stadium in 2000 when Santa Clara lost to Notre Dame in the semifinals, a team they had beaten 4-0 earlier that same season. Devastated, like every other player on the team, thinking that was for sure the year we would go all the way. I was infuriated as my Mom called me during the National Championship game of 2001 (My Dad and I had to stop watching to drive home from a tournament. We won’t go into the tantrum I threw…), feverishly explaining that Danielle Slaton had just gotten shoved over the goal line in the waning moments of the game. I was amazed, watching that moment replay on my VCR, by the clear frustration Santa Clara had invoked in the legacy that is the UNC women’s soccer program. I was absolutely overcome by the feeling of joy I had watching as Santa Clara celebrated its first National Championship. I was rejuvenated for nearly all of 2002, as Santa Clara pushed for it’s SECOND National Championship in a row, only to be heartbroken again with a loss of the lead, and a defeat in double overtime. The roller coaster ride I went on with this program was unreal…and I wasn’t even a part of it yet!

My mind is jammed with so many memories from this program that more are filling my head as I write this sentence. I went to the summer camps, the day clinics, the ridiculous amounts of post-game autograph sessions. I’m even in the video the program shows the campers each year as a psychotic, obnoxious young soccer fan -- face painted and all.

Eventually, the time came to choose schools, and I took my spring break to visit the schools I wanted to go to. As my Dad and I met with the Santa Clara coaches, I knew there was no other place I could go. Santa Clara was life to me. I wanted nothing more than to be a part of this amazing program I saw grow right before my eyes. There was no other place for me, no contest.

Now, three years into my stay, I remember how I got here, and absolutely could not be happier about it. I can only hope that some of our youth soccer fans get the same type of joy from watching the team play and develop as I did when I was a kid. Knowing that this year will be one of those that leaves a lasting memory for all involved, I hope they keep watching and riding the roller coaster.