Tuesday Timeout & Game Preview

Tomorrow sees us Kick Off at 3pm at the Mount Vernon Athletic Complex against NJIT who are coming off a road win against San Jose State and are currently 6-5-0.  The game will be a physical encounter and I hope we can find our rhythm and passing game early to dictate the tempo and how we want to play.  After today's practice and fitness updates it seems we will have to make some adjustments to the line up that started the last game but it gives some players the opportunity to step up and stake a claim for a starting spot for the games ahead.
GWSports Game preview

Practice was longer than planned today after working on some set plays and restarts so hopefully we will see some reward in the game tomorrow.  Some of the keys to the game tomorrow: dictate the tempo and possess for longer periods, match the work rate and physical challenge of NJIT and lastly score more goals than they do. Simple!  After losing our last two games its very important we give a strong performance tomorrow and get back to winning.

Running a 9 year old girls clinic this evening, a favor for a friend, I was able to step outside the college game, take a timeout and get back to grassroots soccer.  I enjoy working with younger players and have encouraged many GW alumni to get involved locally with the various clubs.  Its still soccer and the girls just understand things quicker and are better behaved.  Just kidding lads!

Magic Moment of the Day
Could have been Rudolph's toe poke to the upper 90 or Saints winning again, 2 games on the trot

Magic Mondays

A busy week ahead with games Wednesday and Saturday plus our Alumni weekend meant it was a fully packed day with practice and preparations.  Its seems we have come out of the weekends games more banged up than I thought with numbers low for the session today.  With the day off Sunday and the extra rest for some today I hope to get a better idea who's going to be fit for Wednesday after the session tomorrow.  For those who were able to fully participate the small sided games and shooting activities seems to work to get everyone going and some of the much needed sharpness for the upcoming games.  I felt the need to get a 15 minute jog on the treadmill while the guys lifted just to make sure I got the recent sickness out of my system nothing to do with the upcoming alumni game.


I'm looking forward to the next 6 days.  With 2 games to be a part of, Advisory Counsel Events and Alumni events all weekend it will be a great time to catch up with people, play some soccer, watch some GW women's soccer and coach some soccer.  Plus I'm sure I'll find some time to watch some premier league games in between.


I forgot to mention yesterday that at the closing of the Student Athlete Leadership retreat along with Gymnastics Head Coach Foster-Cunningham we were asked to speak briefly to all our student athletes on behalf of our coaching staffs.  Being so pleased at almost being done with my few words I managed to ask everyone to rise and on 3 say Go Colonials!  To the approximate 450 student athletes and staff the words that came out sounded like Go Conolials.  Many theories have come since but the answer is:
a. I decided to rename our nickname
b. I got a little tongue tied
c. I was overcome with emotion
d. Technical difficulty with the mic
e. None of the above

The answer is e.  I wish I could blame the teleprompter but there wasn't one so I will have to say that it was my Welsh accent coming out that pronounces certain words a little differently. Honest ;-)


Articles from the weekends Game (didn't make the Washington Post again lol)

GWSports
GW Hatchet Newspaper

Magic Moment of the Day
Getting back on the field getting after it at practice.

Weekend thoughts

Our game yesterday saw us play some of our best soccer of the season and definitely score our best goal of the season so despite the 2-1 loss there was many things to be positive about.  I felt our first half performance deserved more than the one goal we got and we certainly tried to dictate the tempo after a shaky opener couple of minutes.  Our freshmen coming off the bench all made an impact on the game which was great and Sousa played the whole 90 minutes so we continue to see our underclassman playing substantial minutes under the guidance of our upperclassman.  Next game is Wednesday so we are back on the field for practice tomorrow.

Today I was fortunate enough to be part of the leadership retreat for our student athletes which took us to the national mall to the FDR, Jefferson and MLK memorials and partake it some fun leadership/group activities.  It was also the day that the athletes signed the Colonial Constitution a first for the department and something I was proud to be a part of.  Overall, it was a great success and it was great for me to spend time with student athletes and coaches of all the other varsity sports at GW.

I am glad I made it through the weekend.  After waking Saturday feeling ill and 2 hours before kick off being violently sick I was able to suck it up and despite feeling somewhat better today I am looking forward to going to bed early and hopefully getting back to 100% for the week ahead.

Weekend Preview

Tomorrow we are back home at the Mount Vernon Athletic Complex for a home game against UMBC.  Starting the season with a 4 game unbeaten run their next 2 games saw them lose two close games against nationally ranked Maryland and George Mason.  In a local derby this past Wednesday against Loyola they bounced in style with a 2-0 win which will give them plenty of confidence coming into the game tomorrow.

We will be looking to bounce back ourselves after last weekends loss and get back to winning ways at the start of a 3 game home stretch not that we're looking beyond the game tomorrow.  Practice has been great this week working towards limited our turnovers and getting more offensive threats on goal.  Great to see our Men's basketball staff taking in some of the practice today and thanks to Coach Strickland in particular for his support of my crossing ability. So far this season we have seen some gymnastics, rugby, diving, swimming and golf in some form during ours sessions.  Yesterdays practice saw Coach Matt Pasquinelli introduce his tennis racket and balls in the goalkeeping work out and I will have the video to show you soon.  He is quite creative with his sessions and his initials MP appropriately stand for Mad Professor.  

Enough about the staff.  Our last home game saw us win in OT and I hope we don't go that far again but I'm not going to complain if that's the way we have to get the W.  Final selection for the starting line up will be decided tomorrow before the game.  With the players working hard in practice and a healthy competition for places I'm sure everyone who is fit is going to contribute minutes in the game.

Back to the staff.  This week after Coach Irizarry's display on the mic on our last bus trip I have personally donated a mic for him to talk in the office and on the field.  Not the best picture but I assure you its a mic from toys r us, lets hope my daughter doesn't notice its gone as the house has been rather quiet without it. 

Hope to see you tomorrow for "kickin it at the Vern" there will be free food and maybe some giveaways.  

Magic moment of the last 2 days

My goal from the half way line and Coach Pasquinelli's tennis ball exercise for our GK's.  Video will follow.

Tornados?? and Gangnam Style

After a tornado watch and heavy rains yesterday things were back to normal with the DC weather today.  A cool morning for practice saw temperatures rising throughout the day to become a beautiful afternoon and evening.  With some guys still sitting out practice today with injuries we were down on numbers but I hope to see most guys back tomorrow as we return to full numbers.  

Abaie scored a great header to once again dispel the myth that he doesn't head the ball and Higgins spent most of the session nursing a bloodied nose and having what seemed like a whole box of Kleenex up his nose.  Nicholas was back and completed the whole session and the injured guys were put through Marta's 10 minute AB workout on the sidelines.  Painter has mastered the art of finding lost balls as he once again saved the team by going deep into the tennis courts to find the missing nugget.  Irizarry was on the field for part of the session to even the numbers and he looked as good as ever gliding around the pitch.  The only new injury almost came when coach Felix was struck with a ball in his back which he did not find amusing to say the least.

As a soccer/football fan its been a great 2 days with the return of the Champions League.  Some great games on TV with Real Madrid 3-2 winners over Man City (much to the dismay of Abaie), todays games saw Chelsea 2-2 with Juventus and Barcelona come from behind to beat Spartak Moscow.  I know our players watched the games I hope they were on DVR because I know they couldn't all have had no class during the afternoons.

Yesterday I was rather embarrassed when I didn't know what gangnam style was and not so much the fact I didn't know but Coach Felix did know.  I say this because I was introduced to the GW Women's Lacrosse team and their gangnam style Video click this link from the Washington Post DC Blog.  Believe me its a must see, if you know what Gangnam Stlye is, and who ever did the editing I need you on my staff immediately to break down games.  My only negative on the video is where is Coach Hannaford and her staff and where is Patrick Nero I know he tweeted he would have liked to take past.  Just kidding Great Job!

Magic Moment of the Past 2 days

GW Lacrosse Gangnam Style Video

Rest Day and Planning

A day off from the practice field allowed me to get a good days work in at the office.  Session planning for the week ahead we have 4 days of practice before our game on Saturday.  Having highlighted areas to work on this week after reviewing my game notes I felt a little better than I did immediately after the loss yesterday and on the bus ride home.  I find that its always best to sleep on your thoughts and plans after a game so the emotion and adrenaline are taken out of the thought process.

In my game notes I had written down "the calm before the storm".  I have found that the morning of a game I am constantly going over my preparation and game notes and sometimes it even plays on me the evening before.  Checking and rechecking every aspect of my team talk, reviewing scouting reports over and over and not letting the littlest thing get me riled.  Its when we're on the field and the warm up starts that the weight is temporarily lifted and I am at my calmest.  I can only assume that by this point I can do no more planning and have to let the game dictate what happens next.   Maybe its the feeling of being a part of something that's coming and I love the chess game that comes with it.  What ever it is I am relaxed during this period.  If you ever want a chat and have a question you've been busting to ask this is the time lol

Back to the field tomorrow and looking forward to getting the guys working hard and focused after the off day.  The weather forecast isn't good which means I could be enjoying a Welsh weather day again which I like.

Magic Moment of the Day
Tots Gymnastics Class with my 2 year old daughter

Post Game Thoughts

After a 2-1 loss the trip back to DC is going to be a long one.  A disappointing performance with a lack of conviction in the final third killing any chance we had of getting something out of this game.  2 second half goals in quick succession stopped any momentum we had started to build and despite a positive 15minutes when we were forced to play with some urgency at 2 down it was not enough despite getting one back with 9 minutes to play.

Today we took a step back as a team as we constantly gave the ball away and more worrying we stopped showing for it.  This for me is more disappointing than giving it away.  The stats don’t lie and as we try and tip tap our way to goal and wait for the perfect shot it never happens and another attack comes to nothing.  Seems a little harsh but that’s the reality and we have to develop a killer instinct in front of goal and a selfishness sometimes to take the responsibility to take the shot on.  We will improve!!

With a day off tomorrow it’ll be back to practice on Tuesday as we prepare for UMBC on Saturday.  We will finally be back at home at the Mount Vernon Complex so no hotels and buses for a couple of weeks.   Next game will be our second home game of the season and the event "Kickin it at the Vern" hopefully will bring some fans out for the game, free food and fun activities.

Almost 4 hours from home and the bus ride took an eventful turn.   Pulling over into the next service station/rest stop earlier than we had intended we had to wait to pick up our Men’s Water Polo team who were having bus troubles coming back from Boston.   After loading up our bus and doubling up on seats, much to the disappointment of everyone we were back on the road and ready to get back home to DC.

Magic Moment of the Day

Ms. Abaie’s homemade oatmeal bars for the ride home