AFTER GOING WIN LESS A SEASON AGO THE NORTHWEST COLLEGE WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM OPENED THE 2019 CAMPAIGN WITH A WIN AGAINST TREASURE VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WHILE THEY DID LOSE THEIR NEXT TWO, THIS IS A YOUNG TEAM THAT IS LOOKING TO CHANGE THE CULTURE OF THE PROGRAM. HEAD COACH OF THE TRAPPERS, AARON MILLER TALKS ABOUT HOW THIS TEAM IS LOOKING TO SET A PRECEDENT.
“IMPROVE THE CULTURE WHERE WE CAN BUILD MORE TOWARD FUTURE SEASONS. EVERY DAY AT PRACTICE WILL BE A NEW CHALLENGE. AND THEN IDENTIFY BIGGER PERSONALITIES AND THEY’RE DOING A GREAT JOB OF HAVING GOOD TEAM CHEMISTRY AND SUPPORTING EACH OTHER. IF WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER THEY’LL BE STRONG.”
OVER THE COURSE OF THERE GAMES THE TRAPPERS HAVE GIVEN UP A TOTAL OF 11 GOALS WHILE JUST SCORING 7. HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND COACH MILLIER SAYS DEFENSE HAS BEEN A POINT OF EMPHASIS.
“WE’RE WORKING ON THE WHOLE DEFENDING PRINCIPALS WITH THE GIRLS. FIRST DEFENDER, SECOND DEFENDER, THIRD DEFENDER AND LEARNING THEIR ROLES AND ASSIGNMENTS AND SUCH. WE’VE GOT A CHALLENGE ON SATURDAY WITH CENTRAL WYOMING. THEY’RE A BRAND NEW PROGRAM THIS YEAR AND THEN GILLETTE HAS A PRETTY GOOD TEAM THIS SEASON. ON SUNDAY WE’LL PLAY THEM.”
AND WHILE THE DEFENSE IS KEY GOING FORWARD COACH MILLER ADDS HE’S LIKED WHAT HE’S SEEN FROM THIS TEAM EARLY ON.
“WE’RE STILL WORKING OUT OUR DEFENSIVE SHAPE BUT WE’VE HAD SOME GREAT INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS BY SOME OF OUR DEFENDERS. IT’S BEEN A WHOLE LOT OF INDIVIDUAL PLAY AS WE START TO BUILD AND THE TEAM LEARNS ABOUT EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT MORE, THEY LEARN WHAT EVERYONE’S GOOD AT. I THINK WE’RE GOING TO START TO EVOLVE AND BE ABLE TO PLAY A WHOLE LOT OF COMBINATION PLAY. AND BUILDING THE ABILITY TO ATTACK WIDE IN SPACE.”
BOTH NORTHWEST COLLEGE MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SOCCER PROGRAMS ARE IN ACTION THIS WEEKEND TAKING PART IN THE K2 TECHNOLOGIES TOURNAMENT IN GILLETTE. BOTH TEAMS BEGIN PLAY SATURDAY WITH THE WOMEN PLAYING AT 1:30 VS CENTRAL WYOMING COLLEGE FOLLOWED BY THE MEN.SUNDAY THEY TAKE ON GILLETTE, AGAIN AT 1:30, WITH THE MEN TO FOLLOW.
