The Georgia State Panthers women's soccer team trains in top gear during the month of August. Players reported on the 6th, and preseason practice has already become second nature. With the schedule packed full, the Panthers sweat their way through weight training, aquatic training, and important on-field conditioning.
Luckily for the Panthers, offseason discipline translates into success early in the season. “This year we've done a great job in the summer to not only prepare our upperclassmen, but also to prepare our freshman,” said Coach Domenic Martelli.
“Having a better conditioning level allows us to do more than we would normally do during preseason, and to avoid focusing on conditioning. Hopefully, that work the team put in during the summer will help us come out of preseason as healthy as possible.”
With new faces on the pitch, team chemistry can present an issue during the preseason practice schedule. “The most important goal early on is getting everyone on the same page,” said Martelli. “We have a lot of good players this season, so getting everyone together can help us find ways to use each player's talents as much as possible.”
The top priorities during August training come from the basic elements of the game. Fitness and fundamentals represent the keys to a successful beginning. “Figuring out what system is going to work for us is very important. Once we develop our system, then we need to find the personnel that best fits that system,” Martelli said.
“We focus right now on executing tactically. We need to know what parts of the field to make our passes from, where we need to be finishing runs, and how to defend as a team. If we cover it in the preseason, it should carry over into the regular season. The key is to build everyday towards that goal of the beginning of the year.”
The team's practice ran through a variety of drills. One particular drill worked on finding the open player in a designated zone at the corner of the field. Veterans and newcomers alike looked comfortable and aggressive.
“Our returning players have come in healthy, with a great attitude, and have been very positive. The core of our team is the senior class,” Martelli said, “and they have to carry us.”
“The freshmen have come in playing very well, also. As good as they are, it just makes us better and allows the team to continue improving every day towards playing the quality of soccer we expect.”
As August rolls along, the Panthers will become increasingly focused on the beginning of the season. Coach Martelli said that the training regimen will reflect that focus. “We will tone it down a little towards the beginning of the season. Right now, we go through a lot of intensely athletic sessions. As the season draws closer, we should have more walkthroughs in order to prepare for specific opponents.”
The Panthers open the season on August 23rd when they host Tennessee Tech at the Panthersville Athletic Complex. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
