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Soccer Teams Contrast Youth and Experience 9/24/2003
Soccer Teams Contrast Youth and Experience The men’s and women’s soccer teams have kicked off their seasons in opposite situations. The men have very little experience with 14 freshmen while the women have nine returning seniors. With 14 freshmen and two transfers, the men’s soccer team hopes that returning to basics is the right recipe to bring the diversity on the team together. “We’re very excited for the season,” said Men’s Soccer Head Coach Tim McClements. “To this point in our training, we’re excited with the potential of the program. It is a little scary at times to play with nine freshmen on the field at any given time.” <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />
McClements, who is entering his second season at the helm, said he is trying to return to basics to help his team achieve its playoff aspirations.
“With so many young players, we’re working on everything in practice,” McClements said. “The players are not only m<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />aking the adjustment to the playing level on the field, but are making the adjustment from living at home and being in high school to college. So there are a lot of things both on and off the field.”
Vanderbilt is not without experience though, as the new players look for leadership in captains, sophomore forward Brent Richard and senior forward Jimmy Stone. In addition, the team’s only All-Missouri Valley Conference selection from last season, sophomore midfielder Kyle Lapkewych, returns to control the middle of the field.
Although the Commodores season has not begun as they would have liked with zero wins to date (0-2-2), they have not lost confidence.
“I thought we were in every game and just made a few mistakes that cost us,” McClements said. “Hopefully down the line as we continue to improve we’ll eliminate those mistakes and win.” Vanderbilt will face fierce foes as its season progresses because in the MVC, there are three teams currently ranked in the Top 25.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Vanderbilt women’s soccer team has more experience than most of its competition and is just trying to shake some bad luck that has plagued them.
“Our goal is to reestablish Vanderbilt soccer,” said Women’s Soccer Head Coach Ronnie Hill. “We’re trying to put ourselves back on the map. This is a very talented group that has been through a transition phase with several coaches in a short time span.
“We’ve had a little bit of bad luck with some injuries and near misses, but we’ve had the opportunity here to put it together and take the conference by storm.”
Hill said her team’s biggest problem last season was goal scoring, but that she has changed how her team approaches shots in an effort to remedy it. She said she has made them think positively that every ball they place on net is going to find the back of it.
Hill’s changes seem to be having an affect as the team has started the season 2-1 and outscored its opponents by a combined 3-2. As the season progresses though, the games become more difficult as the Southeastern Conference has numerous Top 25 programs. Hill said she has confidence that the bad luck is gone and her seniors will carry the team toward its goals.
“I really feel like this is our year,” Hill said. “I’ve felt it from January on and I felt it all spring and all summer. The seniors have that twinkle in their.”
Despite being different in almost every aspect except for the game they are playing, the men’s and women’s soccer teams both hope to be in the same place in November — the playoffs. |
