MYSA Lunachicks Soccer

Here we are, halfway through our regular season, so I figured I’d take a minute to look back at how we’ve done and where we are as a team.

From the start of the season, a significant difference has been the intensity the girls are putting into practice. They are working harder at the activities and trying to learn. Yes, we still have silliness and such (we’re the Lunachicks, how can you not?), but for the most part, the girls are working hard to improve. That was one of our goals with moving to Classic, so that has been good to see.

Looking back at our matches so far, it’s been a mixed bag, but we’re showing improvement.

Our friendly in Apex was very encouraging. While our opponent possessed the ball more, we made them work for scoring chances and had a few of our own. Defensively – we were excellent, but we didn’t move the ball well. The girls proved, likely without knowing it, that they absolutely COULD play at this level given who they played.

Our first three regular season matches were not as encouraging. Between the early bickering and the half hearted play at times, it was clear we were not playing anywhere near our capability. The girls definitely didn’t believe they were a Classic team and played that way. I had hoped once the decision was made and they knew they were in Classic, that they would just play. Clearly I underestimated how much of an impact this would have on them. They had so convinced themselves that they didn’t belong or couldn’t play at this level, it became self fulfilling. They had to prove to themselves they were good enough, but when you’re playing poorly because you think you aren’t, you wonder what it will take and if it’ll ever happen. As their coach, after the first couple matches, I’ll admit I was worried.

Their third match seemed to be a turning point for them. Despite letting in those two early goals in the first minute, they seemed to realize that holding that team scoreless for 59 minutes was a big deal. So even though they lost, I got the feeling afterward that they were happy with what they had done or at least realized it was a significant accomplishment. We played stiff defense against a team that moved the ball very well, so as a coach, I was glad to see the improvement. We learned a lot that match because of the many ways the other team could attack (give and go, solid crossing, overlapping runs, etc.) Those were things we never really saw in Challenge.

Obviously, their first win was a significant step forward. They scored their first goals, beat an undefeated team that hadn’t been scored on yet, and showed they could win free balls better than they had all season. It was a great match for them and I think it really helped their confidence. I think it also surprised them that other people outside the league noticed their accomplishment. For the first time, I saw confidence in their responses when I asked them if they believed they were good enough (I was starting to sound like the Verizon guy “Do you believe me now?“). The scrimmage was a disappointment, as they regressed to their earlier antics, plus this team is very aware of which matches count and which don’t, something we as coaches don’t really talk about. They knew it was a friendly against obviously younger kids, so they didn’t take it seriously. When the younger girls started outplaying them, they got frustrated and took themselves completely out of the match. This has been one of the more puzzling aspects of the Lunachicks – the keen sense of when to put forth full effort and when not to. As their coach, I still haven’t figured it out or come up with an idea when they’ll be 100% on and when they won’t be.

Our next match was an example why…

When we ended up playing in extreme conditions, with the freezing cold and rain, they stepped up and played a VERY good game. I expected them to just go through the motions Saturday just to get the match over with and get back home to warm up. It was clear the girls were playing toe to toe with that team, as both teams had solid chances to score. At halftime, when everyone was already frozen and soaked to the skin, I asked them if they were ready to win this match. The intensity and sincerity in their response was surprising – they really wanted it. As heartbreaking as it was to let a draw slip away or have many of our chances to score go ‘just wide’, that was a heck of a match. The girls really cared about it and a few girls played harder or with more intensity than they ever had this season. That’s not the kind of match where you expect that. So even though we lost 0-1, that match showed a lot about who this team is.

We may be silly, inattentive, aloof, and more at times, overall the girls are working harder and are starting to realize what they’re a part of. I’m seeing more of them realize that they really are a good team, that they can compete with these opponents. Yet in order to beat them they have realized they need to work hard, take practice serious, and get better. Yes ’serious’ is a relative term with this team – I get that. But the Monday night training sessions have been intense along with some of the Thursday practices, which I admit we often use to just have some fun. They’re still 12 year old girls, but it’s been clear we’ve shifted our mindset a bit in terms of the balance in keeping things fun and working harder. It’s a gradual thing, nothing changes overnight. But just looking at the overall season, I’ve noticed subtle changes in most of the girls mindsets that are very encouraging.

Which brings us to where we are today. We’re officially 1-4. I know some care – I don’t. In my mind we’re 3-3-1. We’ve had three ‘wins’ in terms of the team’s development and intensity on the field (TFC, KSA, and GYS Gold). TFC surprised me given when we played it, but it was good that the girls showed their true potential against such a stiff opponent (TFC is undefeated and has allowed one goal so far in their division). GYS Gold counts as a win in my book because of the conditions and how hard the girls played when they could have just gone through the motions to get done and go home. BSC, GYS White, and 97 TUSA Gold were just matches where our minds weren’t in it, and I know as a team we’re not at a point where we’ve gotten past having matches like that. GUFC Courage was a draw in my eyes because we played one horrible minute of soccer and 59 minutes where we repelled attack after attack. And if you think about it, consider the fact that but for a few mistakes, we’re not 1-4, but instead 1-2-2 or 2-2-1.

So halfway through our first Classic season, I absolutely believe the team has improved, developed, and started to realize what it takes to be ready for strong opponents every weekend. That was the overriding goal of this move – to get the girls more focused on improving and playing as a team. We still have a LOT of work to do, and the girls know this. We still don’t consistently play well as a team, communicate on the field, or deal with constructive criticism well. Respect for the coaches and the game still needs to improve and it’s still hard to tell when or why we’ll regress to bickering and frustration.

But after five matches, I think they’ve proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they DO belong at this level, it’s helping their development, and the girls are still having fun. Being 5-0 wasn’t one of my goals for this season. However, if the girls continue to work as hard as they have and we can make some breakthroughs in their understanding of the game and how it works, that’s not out of the realm of possibility. You never know – none of us expected this group to be where they are right now.

Finally, I wanted to thank all of you. I know most of you were either extremely skeptical about this whole Classic thing, or harbored enough reservations to make you uneasy. Yet you also had enough confidence in me as their coach to take a chance and see if my ramblings about desire, motivation, and development were true. Or at least to give me enough rope to hang myself I’ll admit I was scared to death about how this season would unfold. But halfway through, I hope even the most skeptical among you are starting to see things in the girls this season that we never saw in Challenge.

Here’s hoping the 2nd half of the season sees more improvement. Being the Lunachicks, we know there will be more excitement!

GO LUNACHICKS!