Freedom Tower, Times Square and CT.

Note to self always unplug the hotel alarm clock!  This is something I always do but last night due to the fact that the clock had a charging station for my iphone i decided to leave it on.  AT 5am this morning not really knowing what was going on I was awoken by a strange sound that was getting louder and louder next to me.  Not only did it wake me up but I thought I had turned off the alarm after many seconds of fumbling around only to hear the same annoying sound 5 mins later as I must have put the alarm on snooze.   At this point the clock was pulled from the wall and no Marriott, I did not break it.

Lets talk more about the day.  After breakfast today it was into NYC for the players and coaches Irizarry and Ouimet and after stops at Freedom Tower and Times Square it was lunch in the Big Apple.


For me it was a day on the road recruiting in Connecticut so unfortunately I missed on on the festivities but had the pleasure of driving around NYC traffic.  It was a fun little trip after the crowded city traffic the further north I went in CT it changed from concrete to green trees very reminiscent of back home in Wales.

Today was a day for the players to enjoy NYC stretch their legs and get some much needed rest for the game v NJIT tomorrow.  Another tough game for us and for our upper classmen they will not have forgotten the 1-0 loss last year with just 5 minutes to go in the game after they scored on a breakaway,  A year later and I still think it was offside.  We once again have a team playing their home opener so that will be an added incentive for them to perform and another game where we have to take that edge away by controlling the tempo of the game and playing our game.

Raise High Moment of the Day
Freedom Tower
For the players they saw it up close for me I saw it from a distance but either way its amazing.

NYC / Game Day

After the ride up yesterday we decided to let the guys get a late start and had breakfast at 10am.  The hotel was great although I still didn't sleep that well and woke early.  The game was at 6pm v LIU so we had some time to kill during the day which allowed the guys to get a stretch and light jog and a nice jog for me in the hotel gym.  Pre game meal was at 2.15pm at the hotel and we were loading up at 3.30pm ready to leave at 3.45pm. 

LIU is a pretty unique place to play with the field right in the middle of city blocks so you're enclosed all around by the concrete jungle of NYC.  Having played LIU last season I know that their coach would try to get his team playing and he had one or 2 players I remembered from last season and some freshman that I knew from the recruiting battlefield.  With it being their home opener I knew we would be in for a tough fight and had to match their energy and dictate our style onto the game.

The game couldn't have started better.  We pressured the ball well and within the first 5 minuted we should have been 1-0 up after Ross Higgins raced onto a flick on from Tyler Ranalli and with only the keeper to beat he saw his laser beam strike crash against the crossbar and come back into play.  It wouldn't be long before we were on the score sheet.  Ranalli held the ball up well playing the ball back to Bailey Hinners who's through pass found Jonny Forrest who finished with style into the keepers far right corner.  We had another good chance soon after but as the half progressed we rode our luck a bit after losing our defensive balance and allowed them to come into the game more.  Then with 2.5 minutes left in the half we scored again.  This time it was Phillip McQuitty holding the ball up well and a sublime pass from Sam Summerlin with the perfect weight found Higgins who smashed it into LIU goal.  Great substitution bringing Summerlin on only minutes earlier.  (that was a shameless pat on the back to the coaching staff).

Second half as LIU committed more numbers forwards we found ourselves on the back foot but all credit to the lads they dug in and kept a clean sheet and the lead in tact.  LIU had a great half volley which hit the upright with ten to go but they wouldn't get that goal they needed.  We had some good chances to really kill the game off late on but I think the guys just like messing with me and keeping it close and keeping me on edge.  Lidster hair color will be coming soon if we keep doing this. 

Great to see 2 alumni that I played with at GW all those years ago at the game supporting the lads.  Thanks again to Brian Bulakowski and Jeff Greenspan great to see you guys and glad we could get you a W.
 
Nice video of Jonny Forrest after his Colonial of the Week award if he keeps scoring he may get in again. Video

Raise High Moment of the Day
Getting the win on the road!!!!

Virtual Guide / NYC

A busy day today saw us practicing in the morning and leaving in the afternoon for New York.  Firstly practice started at 10am and todays session saw Coach Irizarry take the guys through a warm up and then a possession activity to get the players working on moving the ball quickly and also increasing their decision making on the ball and off.  I finishing the session with a defending session inside the 18 yard box based of tracking runners and initiating contact to stop the attacking groups getting a clean run to goal and limit scoring opportunities.  The activity became quite intense with 10 guys battling for the ball we had some awkward collisions but fortunately we came through the session healthy.

For those of you who know our Mount Vernon Campus behind one of our goals is a ravine that occasionally we happen to kick balls into.  Todays session found 2 balls going over and a chance for our new guys to show they are willing to get dirty if need be by looking for the balls in the trees, bushes and grass in the ravine.  Unfortunately after retrieving one ball it seems they no longer had the desire to stick around and find the second giving up way to early.  Enter Coach Irizarry who like an experienced hunter took 5 minuets to get down the ravine find the ball and bring it home.  A quick recon 101 on searching for lost balls prevailed so hopefully next time our new players wont give up so easily and be more determined to finish the job and not to leave one ball behind.

After Eddie Painter volunteered to do the laundry before we left it was all ready and onto the GW bus for our trip to New York.  Traffic was good on the drive up and we were able to make it in about five and a half hours which was great.  NO one remembered to bring any movies so the players had plenty of time to get ahead with some reading for their classes.  I always remember the first time I drove to New York and that amazing skyline you see as you're getting close.  Some great views of the new Freedom Tower looking spectacular, the Statue of Liberty, the Bridges and the pure size of the city and concrete jungle make NYC unique.  That being said, give me Washington DC any day.

Wanted to share with you our new Athletics Virtual Guide and also to keep up to date on all GW sports news you can sign up for the GW Athletics E Newsletter Sign UP

Raise High Moment of the Day
GW reinstating Diving and Track, Go Colonials! #RAISEHIGH

Distractions/back to the field

After yesterday's day off for the players it was all systems go for todays session on the field and a lifting session in the gym.  In case you wondering how difficult it is for me to write this blog especially when i get home just look at this picture.  2 of the biggest GW soccer fans and both want to hit the keyboard as hard as they can

Just in case you missed the news from yesterday Jonny Forrest got Colonial of the Week.  For those unfamiliar what this award is, its given to a GW Student Athlete that they recognize for his/her endeavors in the sporting arena per week for the academic year.  It would be great to see more of our soccer players honored throughout the Fall season so lets keep it up.

Practice was a breeze with our FIFA 11+ warm up starting the session which by the way some of themovements  at least for me are hilarious to watch so if you get a moment come watch the guys do it or I'll video it one day and show you.  Some ball work with me and we finished with 2 small sided games.  Coach Ouimet was so disappointed that I left him out that I had to make each team 6v 6 to get him and Irizarry playing.  The sudden death 1v1 shoot off was won by the green team with non other than our very own coaching staff member Coach ..................... Irizarry getting the winner. Ouimet didn't even make the final and Pasquinelli got scored on by his own team member  in the first 30 secs of his game.  

That was it before the guys went to lift, on the road tomorrow with games v LIU and NJIT this weekend  hope to see you there.

Raise High Moment o the Day

A tie!!!

Jonny Forrest Colonial of the Week (sorry a day Late)

Sam Summerlin Happy Birthday