Preseason Diary #2

Thursday we started the day off bright and early again at 6:30 a.m. I am definitely not used to waking up this early and neither is the rest of the team because there are very few conversations at the morning runs.

We started the day off by running the beep test. Our goal was to make it to level 10, but I guess the three practices a day are starting to take their toll because no one made it. However, I think everyone still put out great effort. Then it was on to some shooting drills, my favorite!!!!!

Second session was another hot one.  Man I don't think that it has been this hot all summer. I guess the sun was just waiting for us to come out. The focus of this practice was mainly on defensive work. I am happy to see us getting in to more team-stuff and not so much fitness.

Then it was off to lunch and another quick nap. Session 3 we usually scrimmage. I really like this session the best because it helps you to get use to everyone's playing style. As a forward I can say that our defense is definitely doing a good job of picking up our new system because it is a lot harder for me to get open shoots. So I must say good job to the defense. Keep up the hard work!!! Now dinner and off to bed.

Friday we ran 110's in the morning. Everybody pushed through and made time on most of them. As a team we did a good of pushing through with it being the end of the week.

Again it was extremely hot during the second session. We worked on defending as a unit and played small-sided games. The defense continues to work really hard. The forwards went to a keeper session before the second practice, as well, working one-on-ones with just keepers and forwards.

We had to work some of the Middle School Tournament Friday afternoon and Saturday morning before our scrimmage, but it was good to get a little time off to rest and get the legs under you, at least a little.

The scrimmage Saturday went very well. I thought we played really well as a team with as hot as it was. A lot of things we've been working on in practice showed up in the match. Both defenses were really solid; there were very few free shots. The forwards had to work for everything.

The outside midfielders were making good runs and the inside midfielders made good feeds to the forwards. All the work we're doing in practice really showed up in the match and that always makes you feel good.

Now it's off to rest for the remainder of Saturday and most all of Sunday. We'll go the President's Picnic as a team, but mostly just rest for the most of Sunday and get ready to go on Monday.

Next week we'll keep working on our team but we also get to prepare for someone else and play a match against Louisville. The season is getting here quickly and I'm really looking forward to it as we are growing as a team.

Jenny Cox is a senior forward on the Blue Raider soccer team.

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