In their striped red and white jerseys, the USA Women’s Soccer team faces the 2012 London Olympics with prowess. The team made up of many veterans, is experienced, fierce, 100 percent tough, and absolutely incredible to watch. In the final minutes of their match against Columbia, the team was up 3-0 and finishing with confidence. Glued to the TV, I’ve pieced together each goal and wondered, “How am I going to implement these techniques and what will it take to make it work?”

Returning for my third year, I have set the bar high for Wildcat Soccer. Touch, touch, pass, move, change direction, and so on. Every movement of the USA team involves skill, but what sets them a part is their ability to improvise and move off the ball. I’m incredibly humbled as I watch them move with ball with such poise, but then I think, “This is doable!” Preseason is right around the corner. My girls should be ready to play tactically AND technically, simply because this kind of movement is surrounded with possibility.

Skill drills, along with fitness and agility, will be the main focus for Monday and Thursday practices while tactics and game play will be reserved for Tuesdays and Fridays. The importance of touch and confidence, accompanied by hard work and passion, will set any athlete apart from the average. This is what we will be working towards. Wildcats will reveal themselves on September 5th for the start of preseason. As high as expectations are, the girls have worked to be in good shape, ready to play, and willing to put in the work their coaches expect.

I will be working for the NSCAA as an associate staff coach on August 18th and 19th. During this time, I will be working with coaches to implement a various number of systems and techniques. While my job labels me as the teacher, and I am excited to learn even more from my cohorts. This will give us the chance to try new coaching techniques and implement new systems of play. It’s time to prepare!

GO USA!

-Coach Davey