Coach's Kick


August 26, 2009

Time To Look Back

Oly has a wonderful history in Girls' Soccer. Much of the Olympus Jr. High's Girls' Soccer team success has been due to the commitment and skill of the members of the teams over the years. There have been some fine, quality young women of very high character which have gone before.

To continue this remarkable legacy, this year's players will be challenged to make a contribution to that tradition. With such a commitment, much will be accomplished in this season.

A player that makes the team will still have something to prove.

By the way, Coach Root gives you his best wishes, and will see you from time to time.

Time to Prepare is Short

Putting players with many different experiences and styles together to work as a team in a short season means there is some work to be done.

Having the most fun at a team sport is more likely if each team member determines to do their best to master the important individual and team technical skills and tactics.

A team increases its chances of success if team members are also committed to helping other team members to raise their level of play.

Every coach stresses the importance of fundamentals. Each practice, our team members will begin with fundamentals, and progress through various pressure levels up to match conditions

Members will review or learn the principles of attack
  • Penetration
  • Depth
  • Mobility
  • Width
  • Improvisation
Members will review or learn the principles of defense
  • Pressure
  • Delay
  • Depth
  • Balance
  • Compactness
  • Control and restraint


At times in school sports, a coach can become exclusively a talent user, and not a talent builder. Your coaching staff will be dedicated to provide opportunities to build skills in our short season.

But we will use some talent that we coaches didn't develop. It's our advantage over other teams -- our talented kids. Combining it with good attitude and a love of the game, our success will be assured, no matter the outcomes.

Time to Gear Up For Our Competition

Some of the teams in our district have become much more competitive than in the past. Bennion Jr. High was district champion in 2007, and we played an amazing game against them last year and won! Next game, we had a let down, unfortunately. But if we could condition ourselves to become a high scoring second-half team, we would be unstoppable.

Teams in our district are well coached and some have a larger student body than Oly Jr. to draw their talent from. Wasatch and Churchill will be tough, as usual. Kennedy was tough in the other division.

And then there are the teams waiting to sneak up on us, as Eisenhower did last year.

What do we have going for us? Our players. In the off-season, many have been advancing those skills through competition and recreational team play as well as individual practice.

Our players are our team -- not the coach, not the school. A coach can teach principles, a school can provide opportunities, but the players are the ones who make the play, and carry the team.

Time Is Yours

Girls, this is your team. This is your time.