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Coach
LaGuardia |
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End of Season Honors
1st Team All-conference...Brandon Willingham (sr), Ben Dykes (so), Michael
Fuchs (so)6777
Honorable Mention...Steve Starnes (sr), Alec Strickland (sr), Matt Dunn (jr), Vladimir
Prokhnevskiy (jr)
All-District Tournament Team Tyler Cole,
Bobby Austin
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I am extremely
proud of the work, effort, heart, character, and fight that the boys put forth
this week. The boys played well against
a good Davy Crockett team and played with tremendous passion and focus against
Science Hill. The team (nearly flawless)
executed the game plan that we put together for Science Hill. They did what they had to do to have a shot
at ending the season for one of the best teams in the state. Hopefully, our fans enjoyed the dramatic
overtime game and appreciated what the lads put forth. I could not be prouder of the team!
We went
in knowing that we had to create a "smoke and mirrors"
situation. I had a colleague tell me
last night that we did a tremendous job using a bench that no one knew that we
had. When I told him that we only used
thirteen players his jaw dropped in disbelief.
The plan was simple: Rotate
players to maintain legs, create subtle changes in the role of the player
coming on, change the picture, and break rhythm. The boys did a brilliant job of keeping
Science Hill off balance and encouraging them to take the low percentage
shot. Yes, we got a couple of bounces
(missed pk), but we really haven't caught any breaks all year...so we were due.
Tyler and
the backs played perfectly to our concept.
The midfield worked hard, and the forwards did enough to stretch the
backline of SH. The boys knew that our
plan was only going to hold to form on its own for about 40 minutes. The next 20 would be about the off-season
fitness work and the remaining time entirely on heart and desire. They left their hearts on the pitch and I
could never ask for anything more.
We have
set the program well for next year with the majority of the starting eleven
from Wed. coming back.
The
season as a whole has been very rewarding.
The memories of the caliber of teams that we took on and the results
will be with the boys forever. The
school record for goals in a game at Univ. High, taking the lead at home and in
the tournament against Science Hill, Bobby Austin's goal to get to half tied
with EC Glass, Fuchs winner against Knox West, Fuchs goal at Farragut coupled
with Tyler's play in goal, Dunn's winner at Elizabethton, Breaking the school
record for goals again against Boone, settling the score with King's Academy
these are the moments that we talked about creating in February! They also broke the record for goals in a
season by 14, and fell one goal allowed of the fewest given up...despite the
level of competition.
The boys
should be very proud of what they have accomplished and where they are headed
as a program! The spring turned out not
to be a job for me, but rather an honor to coach the team. Best wishes to all!
|
May 9, 2004 |
The final
week of the season was somewhat unexpected to say the least. King's Academy brought a makeshift lineup, as
they suspended several players throughout the year. Due to this we tried not to embarrass a
program that we respect and appreciate making the trip by possessing and using
every available player on our bench. I
was very pleased that a couple of our Seniors found their name on the score
sheet and left on a high note. I am more
pleased that we showed that we are beginning to play the game the way it should
be played!
Our
ability to force them to chase through good possession opened some of our kids
eyes and made them realize how to create better opportunities through drawing
our opponent on to our half of the pitch.
This idea carried over in to the Jefferson County match as we controlled
the ball at will for the first ten minutes.
We went in focused on playing good soccer and not worrying about the
result, as we head in to tournament play.
I am pleased with the effort and understand the adversity that the boys
faced. My outrage with the situation
came through the officiating crew that was pieced together. None of the officials were TSSAA referees,
but they all claimed to be certified.
After, several calls/no calls...and a very odd signal system that was in
use, we had to question their background.
The biggest issue for me was in that the far linesman was offering
coaching advice to the Jeff County players, specifically on switching the point
of attack. Jeff County did offer to
forfeit the game prior to kickoff and again after. I told their head coach, who I consider a
friend, that it was Senior night for them and we would play regardless and not
ask them to forfeit.
The match
came down to the fact that we could not capitalize on our chances and made life
harder than it needed to be. I am
disappointed in the level of focus of several players going in, but not in the
style we played. I am more encouraged by
the result than I was by a couple of earlier wins this year. My deepest concern was for Vladimir, who
missed his penalty kick. However, in the
game I watched (with the miss excepted) he was the best player on the
field. Michael Fuchs also had a strong
match. The discipline lacked in the rest
of the teams play, but this goes back to poor focus.
Hopefully,
we were simply looking ahead. The game
should bring our heads back to the work at hand. We are in a good position to get to the
District Semifinals. We are good enough
to beat Science Hill in that match and move on to the Regionals. The boys need to understand that even though
we dropped a game to them in season, we are the only team in conference to lead
them. Also, in all of their games they
have never trailed for more time than they trailed at South in March!
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April 30, 2004 |
What an attacking
transformation! It seems that the light may have turned on. The boy's twenty-one goal explosion in the
past two games has pushed the team to a new school record for goals scored in a
single season. We are three past the old record and counting. The goals and the
record are nice, but the key is in the quality of our play and in building
momentum as we head to post-season play.
Our
patterns, creativity, and discipline are all greatly improved in the final
third. However, the simple desire to get to goal is the difference. I am very
pleased with our chances to progress as we move in to the districts. The key
will be in cleaning up the back third.
Again, the past week has been very positive. To see our response to
falling behind to Virginia High and then scoring nine unanswered with a
makeshift line-up on the pitch for the final thirty minutes, and a captain
sitting out, is impressive. More impressive is the commitment of our backs to
get forward and finish two goals. Also, to see us put away three free-kicks is
a step in the right direction.
In the
final third we were very clinical this week. The midfield is beginning to get
back to early season form. The backs are "passing the buck" a little
too much. I have every faith that we can clean this up in the next week.
Monday
will be a good test to see just how far we have come in two seasons. Last year
we opened with a heartbreaking loss at King's Academy. Our players can set the
record straight on Monday! The quality,
however, will be much more important than the result.
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April 24, 2004 |
The boys
fought through another difficult week and found that there was a single piece
of the puzzle missing. We showed an
unwillingness to penetrate the penalty area in the attacking third against DB
and settled for shots from 20-25 yards.
This coupled with a lack of variety, prevented us from capitalizing on
three or four chances and left us in a position that a single miss placed wall
on a free kick cost us a game where we took three times as many shots as our
opponent. Another lesson to be learned
from a program with a great tradition, is that sometimes you just have to find
a way to win!
We spent
the next two days focusing on patterns and options that would allow us to
penetrate the box and create higher percentage chances. Against Sullivan Central we tallied four
goals, due to the fact that we got in the box.
All four goals were finished from inside the six yard box, and proved patience
and group tactics can make our life easier.
I was
pleased with the final third combinations and play, but the back and middle
third did not play at the level that we can.
We have now put in matches with
solid marking and support from the back line, good movement and focused ball
winning in the middle third, and
finally...good penetration in the final third. The goal now is to put all three efforts
together in a single game! If we can put
all the pieces together at once, we have the ability to beat the big boys and
lengthen our season!
I am
satisfied to be 6-5-0 at this point. The
central game should show the level that we are reaching. Central is 6-2-1 after our victory. They are playing the teams that dotted the
South schedule in years past. We are
putting together solid records against the toughest competition in school
history! We have a winning record and
have already played DB, Farragut, EC Glass, Science Hill, TN High, Knox West,
and Central! We have the ability to make
this a very special year with a few weeks of focus!
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April 9, 2004 |
We have
survived the first half of the season! I
sincerely feel that we have grown tremendously as a team and as players by
playing tremendous competition to this point.
We have a few very difficult matches left, but all are winnable!
The
Farragut result was encouraging. Despite
playing without one of our Senior captains, losing another to injury, and
giving up two goals in the opening ten minutes we played a very respectable
game and left with our dignity in tact.
Farragut beat Bearden last night and outshot the Bulldogs 24-6. The numbers would lead one to beleive that we
can compete against the second best team in Knoxville. Also the fact that Farragut opened at #19 in
the NSCAA National HS Poll this week should give credence to the team and the
effort they put in.
Elizabethton
was obviously a dissapointment. We had a
let down, but that was to be expected at some point. I am encouraged that we showed enough fight to
get the result. It shows how far this
program has come, when our opponent is excited and we are upset with a South
victory. The schedule over the past ten
days was nothing short of monsterous.
However, we got a result over a good Knox West team (who beat Maryville
2-0 last night), a result against Elizabethton, and stayed on the field with
the two toughest teams on our schedule.
I hope
that everyone has a wonderful break! I
will see you all as you return to begin preparations for Dobyns-Bennett.
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April 3, 2004 |
The boys
performed with tremendous heart and passion over the weekend at the Topper
Showcase. EC Glass proved their quality
in defeating Science Hill 4-2 today! Our
two goal loss (and halftime draw) shows the direction that we are headed
in. Today's win over Knox West should
help bolster our depth as we move forward.
For the first time we won a game against the run of play and battled to
make the plays that prove to be the difference in a tight match!
I am very
pleased with the young men that were thrust in to playing due to injury,
suspension, and absence of starters! The
effort is what builds a belief in what we will accomplish and supplies
confidence as we move forward!
Most
coaches would look to a "breather game" to follow the past four
opponents that we have faced. To those
that know me, I am not the typical coach...I want to test our character and see
how we respond to another challenge!
Best wishes, congratulations to the boys, and I'll see you all Monday at
Farragut!
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March 28, 2004 |
I am
encouraged by our results during the second week of the campaign. Under
difficult circumstances, the boys maintained their composure and achieved a result
that we needed against Crockett on Tuesday. Wednesday's effort against Science
Hill was outstanding. The fact that we
were able to create numerous chances and limit the quality chances for Science
Hill were a step in the right direction.
We are very close to being able to get a result against anyone! However, the reason that we did not hold the
lead and get a win is simple!
This is a
game of mistakes. We capitalized on a
marking mistake by the Hilltoppers on a set piece and almost doubled the advantage
on two other mistakes in the attacking third.
In the end we made three mental mistakes that cost us the goals. The mistakes were very subtle (marking,
assignments, etc...), but a team of that quality will make you pay!
We are in
the middle of the toughest stretch of the schedule. Tuesday is critical! A win against Tennessee High would vault us
in to a near lock for second place in the conference. We would hold all the tie breakers and
head-to-head against TH. A loss would
send us in to a possible three way tie for fourth and add some pressure to the
final weeks of the season. We must get
this result and move ahead!
Friday
opens a stretch of four games in six days.
EC Glass, Knox West, Farragut, and Elizabethton will be a stern test
before we reach the break! However, the
entire key to where our season ends rests in the Tennessee High result. We must focus on the task at hand a clean up
the details prior to Tuesday’s kickoff!
The boys understand the minor mistakes and the significance of each
since we watched the Science Hill video on Sat.
We need
to blow out the next ten days and get to break on a high note! We will be
somewhere between 8-1 and 3-6 in ten days. Our season is in the balance. I have no illusions of the importance of the
next two weeks. Come to training with
focus and plan to work! We have four
sessions to get everything for five matches in place. Well done to this point! How do you plan to feel about our season in
ten days?
Coach L.
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March 19, 2004 |
I am very
impressed with the boys efforts through the first week of the campaign. Outscoring the opposition 16-0 while playing 27
different young men in two games is a testament to the quality of the group as
a whole. However, we are about to meet
face-to-face with the critical portion of our schedule! The next three games are all in conference
and will have significance as to where and how we will end the year!
I am
pushing the boys and demanding that the level of discipline in training is very
high! While this week has been a great
start, that is all it is...a start. I am
a difficult man to please. Until we
reach our full potential I will not rest or let anything slip past us. We are far from reaching that goal. I sincerely hope that we can focus on the
next several games one at a time and realize the full importance of each. Goals for/against, etc...can all come in to
play with where we are seeded for the
tournament!
The staff
has decided to reward the JV for its hard work by dressing everyone for
Tuesday's game against Crockett. I do
not expect to play everyone, but who knows.
I would like to thank the boys for their level of focus and work
rate. The effort in training is
constantly intensifying.
A few
highlights from week one:
Brandon
Willingham 7 goals in 96 minutes!
Goals by
Dunn, Souder, M. Fuchs, B. Willingham, J. Willingham, Strickland, Harpula, Dykes,
and Sergey. (9 different players...10 different players scored all of last
season).
Tyler
Cole, Joey Wood, and Ben Graves combined to start the year with 140 minutes and counting of scoreless
net-minding!
Great
success is possible. But only if we keep
our eyes on the road!
Coach L.
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March 12, 2004 |
The
moment is finally here! The boys put the
final touches on game preparations for North this afternoon. The boys had a light walk through today and worked
on cleaning up some tactical choices that made life more difficult than it
needed to be on Thursday!
I am
pleased with the progress that we have made and the results from our scrimmages
this past week. The comments from the
Science Hill kids and staff were very different from last year. Several of their boys are very impressed with
the difference in play from last year.
The real upside is that we played tentative and failed to play to our
potential. We have much more to offer in
two weeks! The speed of play needs to
pick up (and it should with more match play in our system). The bag of tricks and full arsenal of set
pieces will be opened from this point forward.
Keep in mind that Central beat us 4-1 and Science Hill 8-0 in preseason
last year. It swung in the opposite
direction later in the season and should again this year as our comfort level
rises.
We are
dressing 27 boys on Monday with nine coming up from the JV. These are players that have worked hard in
the off-season and earned the chance.
Another slate of boys will be added to the varsity dress list over the
next few games. So the boys should focus
not on what jersey they are wearing Monday, but rather which they want to wear
in coming weeks. Best wishes and I will
see you all on the pitch Monday!
Coach L.
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March 6, 2004 |
Unfortunately
our jamboree was washed out, but there is a back up plan! We will move the Elizabethton game to a later
time next week and travel on Tuesday to play in a smaller version of the jamboree. Both the varsity and jv will play from
5-8. We will not be sending the jv on
Monday night to Civitan due to this change.
All of the boys will dress, but no JV players will be dressing up with
the varsity. I will pass along the firm
details as soon as they are available.
The boys
had a very solid week of training and a good video session. The only disappointment was in the number
(9) of boys that showed up to lift today!
The vision has passed from my mind to the boys. We will need to do a great deal of fine
tuning and add some wrinkles as we move forward, but it is evident that they
are picking up on the system that we will play.
I was very encouraged that the boys played 1-2 touch passes (connecting
8-10 players) in penetrating against Morristown East on Thursday. They showed flashes on three occasions of
what they can accomplish!
They also
exhibited that several players have spent tremendous time on the technical
aspect of the game. Vladimir's ability
to take a ball from twenty feet out of
the air on the run and take five touches and cover fifteen yards of the field
(without letting the ball touch the surface) was very impressive. Bobby Austin and Alec Strickland also had a
very solid match and responded well as we search for who will lead us in
attack. The back line exhibited some
gaps and misunderstanding, but I believe that will be corrected by
mid-week. The key concern was the
discipline of the midfielders in maintaining shape in both attack and
defense. I also expect that this will be
cleaned up within a few days.
The
learning curve has been fantastic and the boys can visualize all of the
fundamental concepts that we will put in place.
But winning is in the details! We
will add a number of wrinkles in the next month that will make us very
difficult to contend with! I am proud of
where the team is, but we are far from our potential.
Coach L.
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February 29, 2004 |
I am very
encouraged by the effort that the boys put forth yesterday in our annual inter-squad
match. The teams were mixed well and had
little time to prepare as units due to the inclement weather this past
week. The conditions did not halt the
boys’ efforts to connect passes and play with an attractive build up of passes
through the center of the pitch! This is
a good step on a day that the boys might resort to playing long-ball.
The Red
team was well organized and showed solid attacking potential through the
efforts of Alec Strickland and Bobby Austin.
Sergey Prokhnevskiy played a solid part defending and initiating
attacks, and the back line was well organized in preventing chances. Ryan Griffith stepped up to take my
nomination for man of the match with two clinical finishes created by solid
runs and a distinctive attitude to get the ball on frame with pace and
accuracy.
The white
team showed solid play in the back and middle thirds. Communication and cohesiveness were
downfalls, however. The middlfield
linked passes well and should be even better when they are mixed with our
regular forwards. The white's
determination to sort things out and to refuse to let the game get away after
trailing 2-0 were very positive.
Overall,
we saw two pieces of the puzzle playing in opposition. When combined this Thursday at Morristown East
and in the jamboree, I expect to see a very different team that exhibits the
potential to take the next step!
The key
for the boys is to stay focused. This is
a very important week of training as we work on situational play (set-pieces,
corners, etc...) and look to clean up some of our transitional play. The boys are working very hard, but must
remember that other teams are putting in similar efforts. We will be very solid, but there are dangers
and obstacles ahead! You never know
exactly who is in the water with you.
Coach L.
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February 21, 2004 |
Week one
is always an exciting, yet demanding time.
The boys have performed well in putting forth a solid effort, as we
rolled the balls out for the first time.
Technically speaking, the kids were fairly solid for the opening
week. However, we have a tremendous
amount of improvement to make. The boys
first touch is somewhat lacking. They
should spend the next several weeks attempting to clean up their touch and
passing, while making two or three moves their own (cruyff, zico, half zico,
etc..). The biggest area for improvement
has come in the area of decision making.
The boys need to realize that the only way to succeed with the schedule
we have is to make good and quick decisions.
They also need to remember that a bad decision is still better than no
decision. Speed of play will be critical
as we move forward. Hopefully, they will
think of speed of play in regards to time on the ball and not number of
touches. We don't need to play two touch
if we require the amount of time it takes to play five or six touches to get
the ball moved along.
The boys need
to be more aware of where they and their teammates are on the pitch. We have improved, but show issues in knowing
where we want to go once the ball arrives on our foot. We need to know prior to the ball ever
reaching us! Checking their shoulder early
and often, along with better communication should clean this up.
I'm sure
that these comments seem critical, but we are striving for perfection! Overall, we had a very productive week and
are slightly ahead of schedule...despite the bad weather early in the
week. Getting in five full outdoor
sessions, two goalkeeper sessions, extra conditioning for those that failed to
pass the fitness test, and a video session I am certain that we are ahead of
90% of the teams in the state! Each session has exhibited marked
improvement. The boys need to remember
that every time that we get on the field we are laying in the next building
block. We have sixteen sessions designed
to lay in the full tactical plan for the way that we will play this
season. They can't afford to miss any
sessions and be playing catch up.
A few
reminders: We still have four boys that
are missing part of their paperwork! If
the forms are not in my hands prior to Saturday's Red and White Game, they will
not be dressing out! Also, they need to
focus on some basic responsibilities that each player has to the team. First, if they are unable to attend any
session they MUST notify me (cell ore-mail) prior to the session. If they fail to, they will be subject to
conditioning and suspension. Any trash
left at the field, tardiness (unreasonable, due to off campus training),
talking in the background ,shirts untucked, etc... will result in the entire
team doing conditioning work. We win as
a team, and discipline is a cornerstone of our program! We must have it to
succeed. Saturday strength training and
video reviews are the only optional activities that we conduct! Everything else is mandatory for the entire
team. We have 18 boys on varsity and 16
on jv. I'm sure that one of our jv players would love to take away a varsity
uniform from a player that can't live up to his responsibilities!
Best
wishes. Week two should be very
exciting!
Coach L.
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February 13, 2004 |
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!! The boys off-season conditioning program has come to a close! The balls will make their first appearance this Monday!
I would
like to point out some standout performers from this week's fitness/strength
sessions: Today's 2 mile run was split
in to two groups: returning players and
newcomers. Ben Dykes was the first boy
across the finish line with a time of 11:45.
Bobby Acero, Jared Allen, Bobby Austin, Jason Carter, Tyler Cole,
Michael Fuchs, Stephen Harpula, Michael Hicks, Andrew Jones, Hunter McClelland,
Andrew Miller, Sam Nolen, Sergey Prokhnevskiy, Vladimir, Prokhnevskiy, Steve
Starnes, Alec Strickland, and Brandon Willingham all passed the test. The remaining players will stay after next
week to work on fitness. The most
impressive moment of the day was Freshman Michael Hicks completing the run in
12:26 and then continuing to run and push his new teammates!
A few
other highlights from the week: Andrew
Jones improving from 15 to 51 push ups from his pretest. Brandon Willingham turned in a 2:31 time in
the 800 meter test just behind Vladimir at 2:30 and Stephen Harpula at 2:29.
Ben Dykes captured the 400 meter test at 1:02. Matt Gott
scorched the track with a :26 in the 200 meters. Jared Allen won the 100 and 40.
Bobby
Acero led the way in the weight room with a bench press of 220lbs., with Ryan Griffith improving from
135 two months ago to 170! Acero
captured the incline press with 195lbs. and Joey Wood made the biggest
improvement going from 105 to 150 lbs.!
The following are the averages from two months ago in pre testing and
this week’s average results:
|
|
Pre |
Post |
|
Push-ups |
29 |
51.4 |
|
Sit-ups |
68.8 |
206 |
|
Bench
Press |
102 |
136 |
|
Incline
Press |
92 |
129 |
|
Curls |
24 |
41 |
I am very
pleased with the boys’ participation and efforts in the off-season
program. I never expected to have so
many players participate and show this much improvement. The difficulty of our sessions was evidenced
by the number of students (outside of soccer) that showed up for a day or two
and decided to walk away. We have talked
a lot about moments over the off-season.
There are several moments that standout from the past months:
The scene
of Vladimir, Sergey, and Brandon making the ten mile run, with Sam Nolen and
Hunter McClelland eclipsing the 9 mile mark!
The running of the hill, the rabbit runs with Coach B., the
team-building activities all come to mind.
The boys having the opportunity to see Coach B at "Miracle",
the haircuts, the fundraising, the work on the field have all led to
Monday: Two days to separate two
teams!
The
policy is simple. I will name 18 boys to
the Varsity roster on Tuesday or Wednesday.
The remaining players will go to the Junior Varsity side. However, the JV players will have the
opportunity to earn their way up to Varsity.
I will dress 1-8 players up with the Varsity from the JV weekly. Once they earn their way up they go back
after one week unless they have earned a spot for the following week. The keys to getting in a Varsity uniform are
attitude, effort, discipline, and focus...there is little focus on talent!
This is
an opportunity. Every other program does
not move players back and forth to my knowledge. I want to give the kids the chance. The JV players are placed in an atmosphere
where they can develop with a heavy technical emphasis. The Varsity players are trained in an
environment that focuses on tactics. The
JV players also can develop confidence in game situations where they will have
more time to make decisions and play with more time and space.
Please
keep in mind that I am handling the entire JV and Varsity sides until Ryan's
return (at least the entire pre-season).
As parents, we all know that 2 or 3 kids can drive us a little crazy! I get 35 teenage boys 15 hours weekly in an
environment where physical intensity is encouraged. As always, I have an open-door policy. However, the only way that I can handle
questions is via e-mail. Again, answers
may take up to a week. This is not due
to my lack of desire to get back to parents.
It is due to the fact that I simply don't have time. Tomorrow is my last off-day for three
months. I am pampering myself with a day
away, since I have already pulled an 84 hour work week! They will only get longer for me with travel
and film to review! Best wishes and
buckle up tight! The ride is going to be
fast and furious!
Coach L.
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February 8, 2004 |
|
Tonight
more than 20 boys, several parents, siblings, and the staff had the chance to
witness the telling of one of the greatest events in sports history: The Miracle on Ice! This outing was a great way to kick off
what should be a banner year. The
underlying theme is simple and two fold.
First, we all play for one thing:
the moment. Second, we are not
given the moment or even the chance.
We must earn it! This is why we
have worked so hard in the weight room and on the track. We will have opportunities this year to
create our own moments and we will be ready.
I will do everything in my power to prepare the team; but they have to
want it. In order to beat some of the
teams on our schedule the boys will have to want to win more than they want
air! We
will pay a tremendous price over the next month (as a team and as a
family). The boys will be patted on
the back when it is called for, and likewise they will be told candidly when
they come up short! The moment is not
DB, Science Hill, or even Farragut.
The moment is in Memphis! The
destination can be amazing. But only
if we realize that it is the journey to that destination that earns the
moment! - Coach L. |
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