spring training

Great video of the prank on the little boy thinking he was getting an xbox, NP. That was genuinely heartbreaking.

Of course the Marta prank wasn't nearly as devastating. However, I personally maintain that pranks are childish. After about age 16, one should probably start thinking about how damaging they can be. (The young boy being an extemely cruel example.)

I have been known as a silly jokester for most of my life and enjoy some pretty "wild and crazy" stuff, to quote the old Steve Martin routine. Those of you who know my posts, are aware of some pretty silly stuff. Lots of it probably isn't even funny to the average person. But I've never done a prank. Don't really understand them.

Am I overly sensitive? Yes! Absolutely. I suffer from a degenerative brain disease that makes my reaction to different things very unpredictable and sometimes I get agitated and volcanic. I am on medications for this, but I still have times, (unfortunately, it is getting worse), when I just blow up. I am not capable anymore of understanding clues to pranks or any other nuanced piece of writing. I couldn't even be writing this if it wasn't for a miracle drug that came on the market in 2003.

I am not looking for sympathy. Just offering a genuine explanation for my explosive post on 4-1. I sincerely apologize for that. (However, to be completely honest, I am still angry, but that will fade away in a few days.) Though I don't personally condone pranks, I will admit that it was incredibly set up and executed. Well done, for what it's worth. I guess the majority of people like being made a fool of. And maybe, (just my opinion), society's rules force people to laugh and accept the prank, even as their stomach's churn in anger.

Sorry again for my post. Please understand that I am not well, but doing as best I can, under the circumstances. It's not Geezer's or KFTC's fault, really. Just part of my life. I hold no grudges against anyone. You certainly are adults and can do anything you want to. I still respect you and cherish my PilotNation friendships with you. FANatic

The initial kick-off had Michelle & Sara up front; Kendra, Jessica, Keelin, and Janelle in the middle; and Megan, Korie, Kristen, and Elli in the back, with Kelsey in the net.

Pretty sloppy match today. Since it is spring training the late season “touch” finesse isn’t there. And there were some changes in positions. And the rain and wet field caused many (or rather MANY!) slips & falls. Balls kicked on the ground sometimes never reached their destination, and balls kicked in the air sometimes skidded on the wet grass and zipped past the intended recipient.

Michelle Enyeart continues to dominate the games. Fast as she has been, she seems to have acquired an even higher gear that allows her to overtake or break away from just about anyone. She makes things happen, both for herself and as opportunities for others. We need more offensive weapons, though.

Kelsey played both halves, which surprised me. She was wheeled off in a cart late in the 2nd half after an injury, upper thigh I think. So Hailee got very few minutes. Again I’ll mention that she (Hailee) looks much more formidable than she did last year.

Jessica was replaced in the 2nd half, evidently still not 100%.

So does anyone have more information regarding our three US U20 players not being in the current U20 training camp? Allow UP to have enough players for spring games?

I was hoping I might get a glimpse of our latest recruit (Marta) checking out her future home and team, but there were no sightings. The band was out en masse today and very vocal.

Oh yes, 3-0 UP. Two scored by Michelle, the 3rd a penalty kick by Keelin when they fouled Michelle in the box.

To get back to the more normal, the Pilots beat Washington today 2-0. (Based on the previous entry, maybe I missed an Enyeart goal? Probably right after half-time, since we got back from getting coffee late.) They had a reconfigured starting lineup. Let me think: Goal: Davis. Central defense: Nicholson and Kelly. Outside defenders: Sweeney (right) and Reed (left). Midfielders: Winters (holding); Chandhoke (right); Tsao (left); Jacka (more or less central). Forwards: Enyeart and Jackman. Players who ended up coming in off the bench: Cronkrite, Michaelson, Scifo, DeYoung. (A sidelight: heard from a parent that Cronkrite is scheduled to go to Europe next month to play professionally, joining Budge who already is there.)

The goals: Enyeart brought down in the box on a break away, PK goal by Winters. And, Enyeart, receiving the ball on the far side of the goal off a corner from Reed, about 20 yards out, putting a curving drive into the absolute far corner untouchable by the keeper. A great goal in the Rapinoe tradition.

Speaking of the Rapinoes, Megan was kicking long balls with both feet during the warmup.

How the team looked: I would say that the passing looked the best to me of the three games so far. Also, it looked like the emphasis was on the defense keeping organized. Both goals were in the first half and defensive organization looked particularly important to the players in the second half. UW never mounted a serious scoring threat. It definitely was the most dominant performance of the three Spring games so far. The field was very slippery, so players were on the ground right and left.

Concerns: Kelsey Davis went down half way through the second half (which appeared to be only 30 minutes). It looked like she had a collision with Megan Sweeney in clearing a ball. Based on what Bill Irwin indicated, it's apparently some kind of upper thigh injury. She was carried off the field in a wagon. Let's hope it isn't serious.

Excellent performances: Enyeart, Reed, Winters, of course. Sweeney was excellent and seems to me far superior to 2006. Nicholson and Kelly much improved from the last two games.

Others there, what do you think?

I was there too UPSF. The weather definitely hampered play. Hard to judge how everyone was doing with the lousy footing thoughout the pitch. Looked like a novice hockey game sometimes. Players were slipping and sliding all over. Funny though...despite the poor conditions....the usual 3 suspects (Enyeart, Reed and Winters)...still again stood out from the rest.

You did miss that Enyeart had a 2nd goal. So it was actually 3-0. Michelle had a run into the box from the right side and quickly stabbed it in. A very non-chalant score. Besides her own goals, the Pilots could have had a few more. Enyeart gave many of her teammates some great chances. She setup some good crosses but no one was able to finish them.

Kelsey was crying when they rolled her off in that cart. Hard to tell if she was upset because of the pain...or because she understood she was hurt bad enough to be out for awhile and may miss games. Man....this team can't afford to lose any more players to injury. Hope to see her back versus the U-23s.

GO PILOTS!!!

I'll be glad when the weather warms up, it was dang cold out there again today!

Enyeart's second goal did come while you were out for coffee Fanatic. She got past the defense and made a very nice shot to the goalie's left. I thought for sure she was going to shoot to the goalie's right as that was much the larger open space. She fooled both the goalie and me.

Kelsey appeared to be in a lot of pain. The drum guys gave her a standing O as she was wheel out the gate on that side of the field. Kelly C. also came out with an injury, it looked like her left foot.

Did you notice UW had a player named Pele?

I've only seen one of the games. (The first one.) I thought Michelle Enyeart looked great in that game.

The way you all are describing her play yesterday, it sounds like you are talking about a former Pilot named Sinclair.

Agree that Enyeart has achieved a new level. She is in the future of the US full team for sure. A lot has been said of her speed on this forum but what impresses me most is her work effort off the ball where many players (forwards especially..take a break without much notice.)

Also agree that Hailee is big and strong. She was also last year. She kicks the ball the hardest of anyGK with maybe the exception of Nicole Barnhart on the full team. However, you should keep in mind that the higher a punt goes the more it becomes a 50/50 ball as it allows more time for players to adjust. Great ball distribution from a GK in my estimation is where our player ends up with the ball more often that not.

Sophie has been in Southern California with her Canadian side last I heard.

Oh btw greetings to all contributors this is a very knowledgable board indeed.

Skip,

Welcome to the boards, your first post packs some insight, hope to see more from you moving forward, this is a rabid bunch with loads of knowledge and insight not only as it regards to the pitch, but recruiting and the soccer program as a whole. Welcome.

Congrats, Skipper, on being the 200th member of Pilot Nation! Welcome!

Question on strategy: When a goalie punts the ball, usually it is a 50-50 ball regardless of how far it goes (unless they can get the ball near Keelin). So why do they not throw it out to an open defender more often? Kelsey & Hailee make more throws than Cori did, but there are numerous occasions when there is a wide open teammate on one side or the other and still the ball is punted and up for grabs.

For Skipper:
Enyeart: My earlier comments about her dominating the games INCLUDES her hustle all over the field. Examples from last year include her stealing the ball from defenders, as in the Colorado game, for what led to the winning & only score. I agree she plays the full game. She often charges the goalie if the ball is put on the ground and there is any delay getting the kick away. I have commented on her speed specifically because it has been so very evident in the three scrimmages.

Speaking of the Rapinoes, Megan was kicking long balls with both feet during the warmup.

I arrived on time (the men were scrimmaging) and decided to watch them....instead of the women warming up on the practice field.
Your report on Megan is very encouraging. I would've loved to have seen her just do that. For me personally...the state of her rehab is key to the 2008 season. I love Megan's style of play. It "was" patient....but omni-competitive and tenacious! After missing almost 2 full seasons...I'm most hopeful that she quickly recovers her all-world play. Her leadership and presence on the pitch has been missed. I'm going to go out on a limb and predict...that Megan will comeback like gangbusters and dominate college soccer this season. Folks may overlook her because of what she's been through....but...I'll be the first to say she'll be nominated for the Hermann Trophy...maybe even win it. Pretty daring, huh?

UPSF..did you see Racheal? Is she out there going through warm-ups too?

GO PILOTS!!!

UPWSR - When it comes to punting a ball, most keepers are fairly accurate at finding their targets (give or take a few yards) in the middle of the field and then, you're right, it becomes a toss-up. Most goalkeepers know who can win the ball and who can't and serve in the favor of teammates they know will consistently win the 50/50 match-up; for example Sinclair, Sari, or Rapinoe come to mind as consistent ball winners...if you're Cori, wouldn't you try to hit one of them every time too, knowing they'll most likely win it and do something pretty dang good with it? Services out of the back are sometimes more dicey because some keepers aren't as confident as others when it comes to whipping a ball out to their backs with a throw; even though to you the back may look wide open, to a keeper 20 yards between their teammate and the closest defending attacker isn't that much space when you consider a thrown ball travels slower than a kicked ball and most forwards are pretty dang quick to pounce on that stuff.
Strategically speaking, a lot of distribution decisions also have a lot to do with what a coach wants and the team they are playing. If UP is playing UNC or UCLA who consistently presspresspress, then playing the ball out of the back is a bit dicey because those players are under a tremendous amount of pressure as it is, so they punt to relieve pressure. If UP is playing a team who doesn't pressure much and holds their first line of defense up around the center circle, then it's easier and makes more sense to start counter-attacks with a throw or a roll to the backs because it forces the other team's forwards to come and get the ball, thus opening and creating space for other players to move through.

One more positive about Michelle (besides recruiting Marta for UP) is she appears to be taking more of a leadership role. I noticed a small thing at the game on Saturday during halftime that really made an impression on me. The team was in a semi-circle around Garrett as he checked his notes and passed on what he had noticed to individuals. At one point he was talking to Janelle. Janelle did not have her coat on and you could tell by her body language that she was cold (I was cold and I had a coat on!) Michelle walked around behind the rest of the players, took off her coat and wrapped it around Janelle as Garrett continued to speak to Janelle. A small thing, but indicative of something a leader would notice and act upon.

Speaking of Janelle, she appears to be lacking in confidence out there on the field. She has speed and good footwork, but just doesn't seem assertive like someone with confidence does. When she makes a bad decision it looks like she lets it bother her.

kftc,
thank you for explaining what a keeper looks for on their punts. an while we probably can all agree that keelin is the focal point of our punts, the thing that i love most is actually hearing keelin yell. 'mine'! in my mind, she equals lisa sari an betsy barr!. i only wish that keelin could play the entire season this year.

Let's remember something else about Keelin. She's only a frosh. I have to think back about the freshmen I've seen since I've been hanging out on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Bluff. Who matches up? (I'm not counting Christine. I remember the first time I saw her as a freshman, at the UW tournament, saying to my wife, "She's the real thing!")

Also, I saw a new side of Elli Saturday. She is a great passer!

Janelle: She, like a couple other players, was playing other than her normal position on Sat. I would expect that some situations arose during the scrimmage that she hadn’t seen as a midfielder and she didn’t know how to react, and Smith was addressing that. Agreed, probably a bit short on confidence in the new position. After the scrimmage she corralled Smith and asked him some additional questions. Aiming to get better.

Keelin: I don’t recall ever hearing her call for the punt. I’ll have to pay closer attention to the sounds rather than just the visual. I have no problem hearing Kelsey or Hailee directing traffic.

Kelsey: Any word on how she is doing?

Elli: Fellow sitting near me made the same observation of Elli. She is now passing the ball rather than running in to a crowd and losing it as was often the case last year.

Our three of our US U20s: Does the obvious improvement come from physical maturing, self confidence, competition with other U20s, feedback from national coaches? Probably a bit of all, but as several have noted, their improved and intense play is quite noticeable.

On a personal note: This is an open forum. Many of us chip in with our opinions and observations. No one censors our comments, although I expect there are limits as to what would be allowed. That said, a couple of recent posts hit me pretty hard. I felt they were a bit derogatory of some of the players. It is one thing to point out an area in which a player is deficient. I see that as constructive criticism: if the player can improve in that area, they will be a better player. Even if they make the improvement, they may not be as good as player A or player B, but they would still be a better player. But to comment that some players don’t have the skills or temperament or physical capabilities, well I didn’t feel comfortable reading that. I may not disagree, but it still feels uncomfortable to read. The coaches saw enough good in all of them to ask to come play for UP. Admittedly not all have continued to improve, certainly not all at the same rate, and maybe some are near the upper limit of their abilities. But I feel that all of the young women are giving their best effort. And I would hate if a player or her friends or family googled their name and encountered some of our less salutatory comments. Now I step off the soap box.

UPWSR - I've only seen one spring exhibition match, but your comment on Elli I wholeheartedly agree with. She wasn't holding the ball too long, as many of us complained last season. She not only is a great passer, but when she makes a run, then cuts into the middle to look for an open player to pass to, she looks awfully dangerous. When she runs it all the way down the line, she seems to always get behind the defenders and then can either make a cross in front of the goal, or cut in and give herself a decent shot at a goal.

She and Michelle attacking together in the offensive third must be a terrible sight for an opponent's defenders and GK.

Something I have wondered about, in relation to Elli's holding the ball last year. This also applies to Kendra this year. It also applies to Lindsay Huie her first couple of years. They all were taking the ball down the side, trying to turn the corner at the end line. Garrett seems to give players the leeway to do this. Although it may seem like the players are holding the ball too long and losing it often, there may be tactical reasons to have this as part of what the team does. Specifically, all of those players are able to draw multiple defenders and also to make their defenders cover more of the field. Over the course of a game, this tends to create space in the middle and to wear down defenders. I do know that Garrett likes his players to take the ball up the side to open up space.

Elli's now looking the better passer and not holding the ball so long may partly be a function of her being asked to fill a different role. I think the same was true of Huie her senior year. So, maybe there's some tactical design to this.

Those of you who are soccer tactics experts, what do you think?

I don't lay claim to be a tactics expert but I do have my opinion. Look at Marta (subject of considerable discourse on this forum She is considered at least among the top three women players in the world. I have watched her play and she simply does what she wants with defenders; one two or even three and she holds the ball. I contend that kind of confidence comes from taking players on the dribble under match play conditions. Therefore, even though it gets frustrating sometimes watching a particular player lose posession when they could have sliped it off early. I respect a player's need to learn from situations and play fearlessly.

The only other tactic I would like to see some change in this year is players taking shots further out to prevent the opposition from bunkering. Of course I love to watch posession feet to feet. However, I think using space is also vital and we all know we have the speed all over the field to run on. As I watch the college game get more professional, we do not want other teams to "get our number" on how we play. My motto has always been take what they give you then take some more.