It’s already been a long road…and we’re not even there yet!
I know it has been a few weeks since my last contribution to Soccer Banter, but during the midst of a college season, time tends to fly by…
As many of you know, this has been an unbelievable story filled season already,...between coaching changes on my staff, a trapped weekend in North Carolina due to Irene, tied games (4 to be exact), some recent player injuries and now Conference changes…when will the madness end?
I am hoping for a happy ending to this story, we shall see.
Starting this past weekend, we broke into our Big East Conference play, with a great Friday home win against St John’s & unfortunately a Sunday away loss against Syracuse, which tends to be one of the most difficult away trips of our season.
Of course, the focus on Sunday wasn’t on a women’s soccer game, but the dramatic changes to our conference with the imminent departure of Pittsburgh & Syracuse, but also the passing of Big East architect and former Providence College legendary coach Dave Gavitt. These 2 events occurring on the same day leave a lot to the imagination and analysis of sports writers in our area. (If you have the time, I would suggest reading Bob Ryan’s article for the Boston Globe, he has a lot of complimentary things to say about Coach Gavitt, not only as a coach, but also as a person.)
But back on target and my ramblings: this is without a doubt, my favorite time of the year, but it is always amazing to me the range of emotions that can occur with coaches, players and supporters, not only during the course of a season, but also over a weekend:
The highs of a win (Friday) vs. the lows of a loss (Sunday),
The ability to perform at home vs. the difficulty of playing on the road.
I know it has been a few weeks since my last contribution to Soccer Banter, but during the midst of a college season, time tends to fly by…
As many of you know, this has been an unbelievable story filled season already,...between coaching changes on my staff, a trapped weekend in North Carolina due to Irene, tied games (4 to be exact), some recent player injuries and now Conference changes…when will the madness end?
I am hoping for a happy ending to this story, we shall see.
Starting this past weekend, we broke into our Big East Conference play, with a great Friday home win against St John’s & unfortunately a Sunday away loss against Syracuse, which tends to be one of the most difficult away trips of our season.
Of course, the focus on Sunday wasn’t on a women’s soccer game, but the dramatic changes to our conference with the imminent departure of Pittsburgh & Syracuse, but also the passing of Big East architect and former Providence College legendary coach Dave Gavitt. These 2 events occurring on the same day leave a lot to the imagination and analysis of sports writers in our area. (If you have the time, I would suggest reading Bob Ryan’s article for the Boston Globe, he has a lot of complimentary things to say about Coach Gavitt, not only as a coach, but also as a person.)
But back on target and my ramblings: this is without a doubt, my favorite time of the year, but it is always amazing to me the range of emotions that can occur with coaches, players and supporters, not only during the course of a season, but also over a weekend:
The highs of a win (Friday) vs. the lows of a loss (Sunday),
The ability to perform at home vs. the difficulty of playing on the road.
College athletics are hugely unpredictable, which is why watching college football and March Madness are always entertaining and draw huge tv audiences…BUT if you think those sports are difficult to predict, welcome to the world of college soccer!
A sport where you are capable of dominating the statistics and still not get a fair result or being dominated and stealing one! These experiences will occur week in, week out; seeing teams this season, go out and have huge wins against nationally ranked opponents, to come home and lose to unranked regional rivals. To the outsider, it must seem very odd, but to be fair to all college athletes, their mentality is tested week in and week out, both in the classroom and on the fields, courts, rinks, etc…
For some insight for the common reader: college athletes practice 3-4 times a week doing extra work in between, strength training and possibly any treatment of injury, as well as attend any team meetings and/or video sessions. And this is for a home game. They must also endure the difficulty of travel during the academic year, which by itself is a tough task: missed class time, make-up quizzes & exams, projects & papers, all this while having to fulfill mandatory study hall hours and tutor sessions which proves to be a long day, week and season. NOW ask them to go perform and demonstrate the emotion and passion twice over the course of 72 hours…now, hopefully there is some recognition of the odd results that occur in college athletics.
Please don’t get me wrong, it is a privilege for these young athletes who are fortunate enough to have this opportunity (I would kill for mine back) and should be the best times of their lives. I just hope they appreciate it before it passes them by…
P.S. Please refrain from asking me about the Big East and its future, I am watching Sports Center like everyone else to find out…if you hear first, let me know!
P.S.S. I have been closely watching my assistant Sam Lopes and have wondered why he wears capris and long pants so much, thanks to Mick Darcy, it now makes sense…
P.S.S. I would be remiss not to mention seeing my beloved Spurs climb up the table thumping the once glorious Liverpool the same weekend as the Gunners continue to fall down the table! Ahhhhhhh…
A sport where you are capable of dominating the statistics and still not get a fair result or being dominated and stealing one! These experiences will occur week in, week out; seeing teams this season, go out and have huge wins against nationally ranked opponents, to come home and lose to unranked regional rivals. To the outsider, it must seem very odd, but to be fair to all college athletes, their mentality is tested week in and week out, both in the classroom and on the fields, courts, rinks, etc…
For some insight for the common reader: college athletes practice 3-4 times a week doing extra work in between, strength training and possibly any treatment of injury, as well as attend any team meetings and/or video sessions. And this is for a home game. They must also endure the difficulty of travel during the academic year, which by itself is a tough task: missed class time, make-up quizzes & exams, projects & papers, all this while having to fulfill mandatory study hall hours and tutor sessions which proves to be a long day, week and season. NOW ask them to go perform and demonstrate the emotion and passion twice over the course of 72 hours…now, hopefully there is some recognition of the odd results that occur in college athletics.
Please don’t get me wrong, it is a privilege for these young athletes who are fortunate enough to have this opportunity (I would kill for mine back) and should be the best times of their lives. I just hope they appreciate it before it passes them by…
P.S. Please refrain from asking me about the Big East and its future, I am watching Sports Center like everyone else to find out…if you hear first, let me know!
P.S.S. I have been closely watching my assistant Sam Lopes and have wondered why he wears capris and long pants so much, thanks to Mick Darcy, it now makes sense…
P.S.S. I would be remiss not to mention seeing my beloved Spurs climb up the table thumping the once glorious Liverpool the same weekend as the Gunners continue to fall down the table! Ahhhhhhh…
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