The Sharks played beautifully yesterday. They started out with a very good practice/warmup where we worked on trapping the ball and then shooting and everyone did very well with that. When we got to game time they were focused but loose and ready to play. In fact, the only real problem I have to deal with as the Coach of this amazing group is that they are all so anxious to play. Every one of the Sharks would play the entire game if I let them and as you can probably see from the other side every week they begin the game by clamoring for a spot on the field. It's just what you want to see and yet you can't believe how unusual it is to have a team where every player wants in all the time. I wish our games were longer.
We didn't see as much good passing this game compared to last which is interesting considering the differences between the two opponents we faced. But we did see a lot of great ball handling and a lot of great field awareness. Sam E. had our three goals and the last one was just an amazing left-footer that stayed low and took a fortuitous hop over the goalies hands. I also have to note the development Sam is showing in terms of his teamwork. During this session he has become very receptive to my requests that they all look for the opportunity to pass the ball inside and I see him now actively looking for that opportunity. His last goal in this game, that left-footer I mentioned, was actually off of a rebound from a shot by Elizabeth I think. Sam approached from the left side of the goal, passed the ball in, Elizabeth took the shot and then Sam fired the ball in after intercepting the rebound. It was, as in last week's game, a great team attack.
We had strong shots on goal from Elizabeth, Jackson and Austin, all of whom were working really hard to carry the ball in close. These three have a nicely contrasting dribbling style compared to Sam E. Sam is all about grace and anticipation combined with speed. He zig zags a lot and misdirects his opponents. Austin, Elizabeth and Jackson employ an equally effective style that I would describe as "shambling", like a running back who seems to always be running down hill. They don't run around defenders as much as they run through them and, to the defenders surprise, manage to take the ball with them. Austin is the best at this as he tends to run leaning forward, knees bent, with the ball under his body so that as he shoulders his way through defenders his feet are dragging the ball along with him. I saw all three of these kids make this strategy work for them in this game. Jackson, especially, played with more energy on offense than I have ever seen before and like Austin he surprised his opponents several times by crashing into them and then coming away with the ball. At one point he seemed to be containing the other team in their own goal area all by himself.
Another player who seems to be suddenly feeling her skills as a ball handler is Kendall and in this game she had her longest possessions ever. She runs well with the ball at her feet and does so while still knowing where the goal is. But she hasn't developed a way to get around opponents yet so in this game she repeatedly crossed the field laterally trying to find an end run around the other team. She was working hard. At one point I noticed that she was shying away from contesting for the ball in situations where it seemed the opponent was going to reach it first. Before the start of the last quarter I talked to her about that and asked her to keep going for the ball even when it seemed like the other guy was going to get their first. Late in that quarter the ball got loose in the open field toward the bench side and one of the opponent players was clearly closest to it but Kendall came streaking out of nowhere and with an authority she hadn't shown before she elbowed the other kid out of the way and took the ball. I had to hoot out loud at that! Kendall has always been a joy to coach because she's such a good teammate and so disciplined in practice and to see her start to loosen up now and be the player we've always thought she could be is just a thrill.
Sam A. had a great day except for a moment of distraction in as goalie, but he bounced right back from that and then made a great stop followed by a really good outlet pass. In fact, I was telling him to pass the ball out to his right but he refused to be hurried, looked around calmly and found Jackson open on the left and passed the ball out to him. Very good work there. Xavier had his turn in goal again too and played with such confidence that he felt he could afford to carry on a conversation with me about the show "Wipeout!" while keeping one eye on the ball. It was hilarious! He was asking me if I'd seen the show and did I watch it this week and all the while looking downfield tracking the ball. He was like an old pro. Xavier's partner in defense, Brennen, was playing like a pro too and again was blasting the ball out of our side over and over again just crushing the other team's chances of getting a clean shot. Coach Mike, Austin's dad, had said to our defenders at the start of the game "don't let it past this line" referring to the half-line. That's pretty much how it worked out as the Sharks kept the other team pinned in their own half for the majority of the game.
Finally, this is a big weekend for Luke as his sister Lilly is coming home. Lilly has been undergoing cancer treatments that require her to stay in the hospital for weeks at a time and Luke's parents, with help from grandparents and aunts and uncles, have been working so hard to make things as normal as possible for Luke while still huddling closely around Lilly. You can imagine how exhausting it's been and how joyful it must be to have Lilly coming home. The calm, determined bravery and faith that I've seen in Luke's mom and dad in dealing with this is inspiring. Chris, Luke's dad, told me once that he hoped to see Lilly out on the field playing too one day. I hope for that too. What a day that will be.
Those crazy Black Berries can beat anybody but themselves and in another one of their hilarious "own-goal" frenzies gave the other team a nice hat trick of freebies. The first, by Jagger, was such a good shot I actually had to cheer and congratulate Jag for it. Samuel was trying to bring the ball out of the corner but unfortunately decided to do so by coming across our goal. I had just shouted to Jagger to run in and cover on defense and when he came streaking in to the goal he intercepted the ball perfectly driving it into the net. Jag shook it off easily and went on to have a great game including a great goal at the other end. The Black Berries get into these own-goal situations because they possess the ball so dominantly. Repeatedly, they end up carrying the ball back across their own goal in an effort to circle the field (I've got to work with them on changing directions!) and come back around to the other team's half. Ultimately it's all good.
The other problem the Berries had was an epidemic of tripping over their own feet. Ethan, Jagger, Samuel and Ashley all missed chances at goals simply because they lost their footing at the wrong time. It was a funny and weird coincidence of clumsiness. Other than that they played with great energy and their usual precocious teamwork. The teamwork highlight of the day was the amazing work that Dominic was doing in getting to the goal while keeping his eye on the ball. Up until now we've had great work from most of the kids at one time or another in getting to the goal ahead of the ball but they always run to the goal looking forward and so when they get to their spot they have to turn and re-locate the ball. But yesterday Dominic was streaking down the field while watching the ball, wherever it was, like a wide receiver going downfield for a pass. When he reached the goal he was in position and focused on the ball, ready to shoot. It was amazing. I'm constantly amazed at what these kids, at their age, are capable of picking up and this skill, tracking the ball with their eyes while running downfield, just seems so beyond what most kids this age could do. But if Dominic could do it maybe the others can too so I made sure to point out his example to everyone else.
Dominic also had two great goals, a long shot that went in from about the half line and a beautiful shot off an assist from Samuel. On that one Dominic was running ahead of Samuel about ten yards directly in front of him so that when Samuel passed the ball Dominic had to be running toward the goal while looking over his shoulder for the ball. When the ball got to him he smartly stepped aside enough to let it pass him then followed it and drove it into the goal. Brilliant! Unfortunately on that play and Dominic's previous solo goal Carson felt that he was in position to take a shot too both times. Having multiple players in shooting position is a good problem to have.
Great work Black Berries! One more game to go this session. Thanks to Ashley's folks for getting the snack. Austin's folk's have the snack next week.
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