Blue Devils season in review

I have to say, this was the best season I have had in a long time as a player or coach. When I first got this team, like any rec coach you don't know what to expect. We had about a month to practice and put this team together. I remember our first scrimmage with another team how we danced around them and Greg and I looked at each other like we won the lottery.

We had our first game and our team really gelled as we won our first game with an exciting last minute goal by MN. We were high. Maybe too high as we decided to go up against a class 3 team. We did and while we gave them something to chew on, we did lose. Still we took it to them and I felt we could do the same on our next game.

However, that didn't happen. We played the same team again after a week bye. It was demoralizing after we warned the girls they were hungry for revenge, they got it 4-0. We actually played better against the first place team later on that day.

The following week we played the Super 8 team. We knew this was going to be the future comp team but we had the size advantage. We tied 0-0. I felt it should have been an easy win, but nobody was really shooting and if we don't shoot, we don't score.

We still we're in a good spot but the top two teams that were undefeated, we're getting so high up the ladder that first or 2nd was getting far out of our reach. We played the first place team again. They beat us 5-0. Got to a point where we put MH in goal. Her father was worried, but we had a slaughter rule. However, it had to get past 6-0 for that to happen and since they were not sure, we held them by one point. It also gave MH a GAA average of 0.0 since it wasn't an ideal position for her to be playing.

So we played the next team who hasn't had a steller season. It was a battle royal, but VH and NH did a sister act and put us in the win by 1-0.

So we played the other team tied for first. I didn't have any high expectations at this point, but I still wanted my players to give me their best effort. And they did. While we didn't win, we made the other team sweat. Sweat to the point they were worried we would kill their undefeated title. One of the other coaches was an ass. Kept going around my bench to coach until I asked the referee in a coy like fashion "Ref, is he allowed to coach over there?" Pissed him off. At the end, the score was 3-2, them but my girls were proud how they took it too them.

We faced another good team. I felt we could have beaten them. However, our defense was not playing up to par. We held them all half, dominating them. We had the first goal. The answered in stoppage time because my defense quit. Even though we tied, we could have taken them the second half, but they were demoralized. And for that we lost the match.

I wasn't happy with the team and I made them run in practice. Then I sat them down and I said, this season can be whatever you make of it. And I asked what they wanted. Most said to win. Everyone said to have fun. However, SS said the most profound thing. She said, "I wanted us to be complmented on our efforts when we do good." So that is how I appraoched the rest of the season. We had a bye so we just practiced and things seem to come together in practice. We also were making arrangements to scrimmage the class 3 team again.

So we come off our bye and play the same team again. This time they played a different team. We dominated most of the game but they answered every goal with one of their one at the most inopportune time. However we find the tie was as good as a victory as it insured we would not move down any further in the standings and we had Dublin Cup to look forward to.

Greg decided we were going to practice 3 times a week and we then got our field for a scrimage. A night game under the lights. The girls were charged up by this. Now the class 3 team thought they were going to walk over us. We thought they were going to win. However after the opening whistle, I saw something different. I saw the Blue Devils playing like a team. We had several chances that were squelched and they had chances that were either squelched by our defense or by great goalkeeping on both sides. At the end we tied 0-0, which to me was a solid victory as we took it to them. Great way to get pumped up for the Dublin Cup.

A good thing too. You see we had problems with the Tournament Director. I asked her about the format of the tournament and she told more then I wanted to know...or hear. Basically we fought to stay in 5th place for nothing. The first place team got a bye the first round. We were faced not with the cheetahs but with the Dolphins who were also undefeated. We felt screwed in that drawing. Dolphins were also feeling cheated as they felt they should have been faced with the last place team. We should have played the cheetahs the first round. But because the Super 8 coach whined about facing the top team then it was done pretty much at random.

So why was it a good thing? Because we just came off facing a class 3 team with a tie and with that kind of victory, there was no reason why we couldn't beat any team. We almost did too. We tied them in the regulation. This was even after the beginning of the 2nd half the Dolphins forward took out my keeper. I have to admit I was worried about my 2nd string even after a good performance in the goal during the scrimmage because trying to get her to give me her best effort was tough. Even to a point where I sat her down and I said, "MS, I need your best effort. Nothing less.." I must have gotten through to her because that is what she gave us, and then some. She came up big on some saves. SS, kept us in regulation with a goal mouth block. As much as I didn't want her to hang in defense, this was the one time I was not going to scold her for it. I was even more harsh on the referee then I usually am. Rememeber that forward who took out my keeper. She was still fouling and I finally broke down and yelled, "How many more fouls is she going to get to do before a card comes out?" The ref knew I was watching (yes he knows who I am) and the other team knows I was watching.

We went into overtime. Still no goal. We went into golden goal period. Unfortunately it didn't take long for the other team to score, but if I were to lose, that is the way to go. My team gave 110% out there and they never wavered. Not once. So at the end of the season, I was extremly proud of the team I had and wouldn't trade them for anyone or anything. They really came up big when they needed to.

So how did the Dolphins do? Well they walked over the other Dolphins with ease and then the championship, they out scored them 4-0. So basically there was any consolation...the Dolphins will remember how they nearly missed the championship due to the Blue Devils.