We are a little over one month into the season and while we have been busy with practices, games, and other events, I did want to take a second to review the season so far. We had a positive start to the season last week and I am very happy where all 3 teams stand at this point. The chemistry has been great, the players are very coachable, and the positive vibe internal to all 3 teams is great to be around.

 

JV Red

This is a really fun group to be around and I enjoy their spirit on the field. They are positive and encouraging, and have worked very hard in their first two games of the regular season. While the focus of this team is more on individual development, I am seeing them start to come together on the field as a team as well, and they are starting to connect more as one unit as opposed to 11 individuals. I expect to see this continue throughout the season and I am excited to see the development of every player over the next 2 months. There is so much to work on with this group, but they all seem to want to get better. Friday against Dunbar will be a big test, and I look forward to the challenge!

 

JV Navy

The Navy squad has hit some adversity over the past few weeks that will hopefully subside as the season goes on. There have been injuries and some commitment/attendance issues. This is a very talented group, and a much different mix of players than we have had in the past. We are really excited about the futue of this group as a whole, but it's important we get everyone on the same page. They had a positive weekend in the LC JV tournament, and while I was only able to catch the second half of their last game, they played some nice soccer and were clearly the stronger team in my observation. We have players from many different backgrounds (and some with different languages!) so bringing everyone together on the field is still a focus. Defensively this team is looking to clean some things up with its shape and decision making, and offensively we are working to create opportunities for players who can put the ball in the back of the net. I think the potential for this team is very high, but it's important the players stay patient as it will take some time to reach that potential.

 

Varsity

Diego and I are very happy where the varsity group is at this point in the season. This is a real fun team to be around and they are very coachable and have a great spirit. While we did not play really sharp soccer this past week, the boys played extremely hard in all 3 games to open up the season. It is probably pretty obvious that we are still experimenting a bit and trying to sort out some things organizationally, but I think we answered a lot of questions during the first week. We have been impressed with the ability of the players to be open to different ideas and adapt quickly to changing roles (we have played 3 different formations so far). We still have so much to figure out and lots of roles to define, so patience will be required, but I do feel like we get a little better every time out. Over the weekend we played two teams who are favorites in their respective regions (Ryle and South Warren) and both could very well make deep runs in the postseason. I was proud of our group in their ability to compete at a high level in both games, and that will serve us well in the future when we aren't as sharp as we would like to be. Defensively we were very solid, and I think the boys are starting to understand better how we are trying to defend. We are trying to get them to work smarter, and not necessarily harder, and we are seeing signs of that. Offensively we still have a lot to work on, but it has been a big focus of ours from the beginning and will continue to be moving forward. Productivity and efficiency with the ball are two areas we must improve in our attacking half to take a step forward.

 

Overall it was a positive first week of the season, and it has been a positive first month. We are fortunate to get to work with such great student athletes who contribute in such a positive way to our culture. Thank you as well to all of the parents for being flexible during some recent schedule changes and for also helping us host the Lexington Soccer Showcase. We lucked out with the weather and we had good competition all weekend long. Should be a fun rest of the season! Go Generals!