Notes from Coach McCord..............

Overall this season we set out to accomplish 4 goals:

1.     Being the first year Varsity Program, we wanted to change the program from a Club mentality to a Varsity mentality.  We created an atmosphere though our Team Identity groups where each person and group could be actively involved in establishing goals, values, and commitment needed for the season.  The team came up with these qualities they felt would help our team be its best.  Our team also came up with our motto:  A Desire, a Dream, a Vision.

2.     Player Development:  We had 26 girls participate this year and we had a lot of new players join our team, so we wanted to focus on teaching the technical and tactical aspects of the game.

3.     Game Experience: Our focus was on process (are we getting better as the season goes versus just only focusing on  wins and losses).  Play games, play to get experience (have JV games). Develop all levels and age groups.  I think it was evident to all of us, how much each player learned and how they were able to put it together with each other on the field.  We hung in there with the DE former state champs, losing in OT, lost to #4 ranked team in the state (Winter Springs) by a small differential, and other great teams with much more experience.  Other coaches made comments about how much the team had improved, many parents made comments to help encourage our players that indeed they were getting better. By the end of the season, we were ranked 21 out of 56 teams in the state of Florida, we stood in some great company and that was because we played tough competition, grew individually and together, had confidence, belief, and enthusiasm to succeed.  We stuck to our motto: A Desire, A Dream, A Vision.

4.     Through sport to help the players to learn life skills. Equipping and assisting them and each other to be at our best in all areas of our lives. To teach the team how to serve others, how to turn failures into victories, how to learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others, how to love one another in our strengths and weaknesses.   In my estimation we achieved our goals.  When it came to playoffs it was evident that we had improved as a team and individually and while it didn't always translate to a win, in many ways it was a win from where we had begun in pre-season.

Notes to the players and incoming freshman....Where do we go from here?

1.     Keep developing individually: summer leagues, summer camps, speed and strength training. Don't stop and get left behind!

2.     Recognize that we are starting from a different point next year, we are ahead of the ball game as a team. Use this season as a stepping stone to where you can see our team going next year. Our district is one of the toughest, we know exactly where we need to get, we must believe we can get there and do the work necessary to make it happen.

3.     Continue to promote the sport-encourage other good athletes to participate. Commit to inviting 2 of your friends to play with you this summer. Our youth program will have 6-8 players coming in next year.  We want those players to be good and come in ready to help us. We don't want to stay the same, we want more experience so we can further our goals.

4.     Get together with each other. Our off-season leadership team will be expected to help plan one summer and 2 fall events for our team and incoming freshmen to bond.