Aug. 13, 2008

Coming into USF my first day I felt mostly excited, slightly nervous and anxious to get my fitness tests completed and hopefully pass them. The next three days consisted of the fitness tests I had worked hard to pass all summer. The Cooper, 120's and lastly the beep test.

Evidently, I didn't work as hard as I thought I had! I was 15 seconds off passing my Cooper, sucked wind through out my 120's and due to a minor injury didn't participate in the Beep Test. My lesson learned, whatever I thought was hard work while I was training this summer, was still not hard enough! So my advice to incoming freshman next year on that subject, you MUST be pushing yourself beyond what you think is possible in order to come in to USF in complete shape. Breakfast Club (fitness in the morning before training) was my next stepping stone to entering my prime level of fitness. Getting the work done early as a team and all working together to make that last sprint or get through that last mile, makes it all worth while.

The next two days were mostly short sided games with little coaching and input, but still 100% intensity is required and you always want to be playing your best. The first day of real practice was fun because we did a lot of 1v1's and 2v2's to goal and got some really good tactical coaching from Mark and Maite. I learned so much in that first session.

The weight room was next and that was really cool as well. Evan gave us a good upper body and core circuit that had us all working hard and pushing each other. The lectures in the team room are usually at the end of the day after practices, or during long breaks between practices. These meetings hold so much information that you need to be paying close attention even taking notes on things like our team's mentality on defense, our shape throughout the game and mostly our 100% effort to win the ball and advance up the field. Between practices I really advise seeing the trainer for any troubles you have. It's so important to take care of your body through two-a-days because they are long and rigorous and any injury that seems small at first will keep manifesting if you aren't getting proper treatment. I learned that the ice bath is my new best friend!

As the first week is coming to an end I find I already have a routine down and though I'm still adjusting to all the new things and the frequency and intensity of practice, I'm learning to pace myself and rest whenever I have time. When the day is finally over, I shower and get right into bed so I can be as well rested as possible for another day of soccer.

All of our legs are sore and tired and we get breaks when the coaches see that. It's very hard and intense but everyone is getting through it together as a team and in our down time we are usually still together and bonding as a team, which will only bring us together more and will show on the soccer field.

Our first 11v11 scrimmage was two nights ago and though we had already had practice two times before that and I felt like I couldn't do anything, somehow I had to pull something together. At that point I realized that my mind had to carry my body through it. This is where your mental game is key. I'm almost positive the rest of the team was with me and its safe to say we were all exhausted, but we played amazing and Mark even commented on our play and how it was the best he had seen in a long time! This shows we set our minds to do the work and sure enough our bodies followed.

Today is a restful day with only one practice so I'm taking advantage of this time to rest my body and its minor injuries. So my first week as ended now and I've worked the hardest I ever have and I will continue to try and keep working the way I have for myself and for my team, who is my new family.