29 November 2010
The article below is supplied courtesy of the USAO Athletic Website -
ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – A semester of early morning practices and late afternoon drills paid off for the Drovers, as they prepare for a history-making game on Monday.
The Drover men traveled to Orange Beach, Ala., to play in the 2010 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship. It is the first time in school history that a soccer team has gotten this far in nationals.
“We told the boys … let’s make history,” Head Coach Jimmy Hampton said. “Hopefully, we can.”
The Drovers play in the second round of the championship at 2:30 p.m. Monday. They take on the University of Great Falls (Mont.), who upset No. 2 Simon Fraser in the opening round of the tournament.
“We don’t know much about Great Falls … but any team that can go and beat Simon Fraser will be a difficult team to go play against,” team captain John Gardner said. “We’re just ready for everything.”
With no common opponents, Drover coaches aren’t sure what to expect out of Great Falls, besides the fact that they are a quality team.
“I don’t think you get lucky to get to the 16,” Hampton said. “Great Falls must be a very talented.”
Both Hampton and Gardner said the Drovers will spend the first 15 minutes of the game as a way of testing and learning about the other team. Then, they will make adjustments and do what they do best.
“From our standpoint, we will focus more on what will make us successful,” Hampton said.
While Great Falls has a few play-makers the Drovers will have to watch out for, Hampton said the Drovers have weapons of their own – including David Otieno, Richard Norman, Niall Crick and SAC Newcomer of the Year Nicolas Alberto.
“Based on what I know, I think it will be more difficult for them to match up with us,” he said. “We have four or six players that they will need to match up with.”
As captain, Gardner said his preparation is the same in each game, but it falls on him and the team’s other team captain Sam Shaddick to ensure the less experienced players can stay relaxed and focused.
“It’s easy to get caught up in your own game,” Gardner said. “You have to look for your less experienced players and make sure they’re less nervous.”
While Gardner may speak causally about the game in his hotel the afternoon before, he understands the magnitude of the competition.
“This is the biggest game I’ve ever played at USAO,” he said. “We’ve had more than one second chance this year. We’re not holding back anything.”
Gardner said the importance of the game to him is simply to play hard for his teammates.
“It is about us. We want to do it for each of us,” he said. “Yeah, I’m going to be back next year, but some of the boys aren’t, so I have to treat it like it’s my last game, too.”
Hampton said the coaching staff has told the team to embrace the opportunity to play and to remember the most basic element – it’s just a game.
“We’ve played 20 of them,” he said. “If we can get in that mindset, we’ll be OK.”
College Sport USA's Shaddick & Simpson get ready for Sweet 16
Whilst the whole of Great Britain freezes in sub zero tempreatures, two of College Sport USA's expat Brits, Sam Shaddick and Wayne Simpson are sweating in the Alabama sun as they get ready to make history for the University of Science & Arts Mens Soccer Team.The article below is supplied courtesy of the USAO Athletic Website -
ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – A semester of early morning practices and late afternoon drills paid off for the Drovers, as they prepare for a history-making game on Monday.
The Drover men traveled to Orange Beach, Ala., to play in the 2010 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship. It is the first time in school history that a soccer team has gotten this far in nationals.
“We told the boys … let’s make history,” Head Coach Jimmy Hampton said. “Hopefully, we can.”
The Drovers play in the second round of the championship at 2:30 p.m. Monday. They take on the University of Great Falls (Mont.), who upset No. 2 Simon Fraser in the opening round of the tournament.
“We don’t know much about Great Falls … but any team that can go and beat Simon Fraser will be a difficult team to go play against,” team captain John Gardner said. “We’re just ready for everything.”
With no common opponents, Drover coaches aren’t sure what to expect out of Great Falls, besides the fact that they are a quality team.
“I don’t think you get lucky to get to the 16,” Hampton said. “Great Falls must be a very talented.”
Both Hampton and Gardner said the Drovers will spend the first 15 minutes of the game as a way of testing and learning about the other team. Then, they will make adjustments and do what they do best.
“From our standpoint, we will focus more on what will make us successful,” Hampton said.
While Great Falls has a few play-makers the Drovers will have to watch out for, Hampton said the Drovers have weapons of their own – including David Otieno, Richard Norman, Niall Crick and SAC Newcomer of the Year Nicolas Alberto.
“Based on what I know, I think it will be more difficult for them to match up with us,” he said. “We have four or six players that they will need to match up with.”
As captain, Gardner said his preparation is the same in each game, but it falls on him and the team’s other team captain Sam Shaddick to ensure the less experienced players can stay relaxed and focused.
“It’s easy to get caught up in your own game,” Gardner said. “You have to look for your less experienced players and make sure they’re less nervous.”
While Gardner may speak causally about the game in his hotel the afternoon before, he understands the magnitude of the competition.
“This is the biggest game I’ve ever played at USAO,” he said. “We’ve had more than one second chance this year. We’re not holding back anything.”
Gardner said the importance of the game to him is simply to play hard for his teammates.
“It is about us. We want to do it for each of us,” he said. “Yeah, I’m going to be back next year, but some of the boys aren’t, so I have to treat it like it’s my last game, too.”
Hampton said the coaching staff has told the team to embrace the opportunity to play and to remember the most basic element – it’s just a game.
“We’ve played 20 of them,” he said. “If we can get in that mindset, we’ll be OK.”
