What were the positive takeaways from the preseason friendly? What are some areas you'll be working to improve in this week’s in training?
There were a few positives for me. First of all, it was encouraging to see the men's excitement for the match, which secures a solid foundation for our team culture. Secondly, it was good to carry on the player evaluation process. Since the match, our technical staff has been dissecting the match & analyzing each player's performance. The more time we have to observe each player the better we understand their tendencies & personality as a player.
Lastly, the support from the Saline Community for Team Katie was contagious. The energy for supporting such a great cause was definitely felt by our men. With all that said we still have a long ways to go as we prepare for NPSL action.
How much of the complete roster do you expect to compete this Friday?
With our current projections we should have 7-8 of our rostered players in the team for Friday. Most of our college players will be wrapping up their final exams this week and are set to report the week of May 2nd in preparations for our home NPSL opener on May 7th.
What does your match week prep typically look like?
Early in the team building process we spend our time working through; all phases of the game, positional responsibilities, match situations & set pieces. After 3-4 weeks of working through this stage of the team building micro cycle we settle into a weekly regime, which typically starts with big picture concepts & narrows down to preparing for the up-coming opponent as the training week progresses.
How are you feeling about managing your first match at Hollway Field in front of the Ann Arbor home crowd?
I'm excited to manage a match at Hollway. It seems like there is a buzz regarding the match & hopefully the Main Street Hooligans & community are ready to embrace the 2016 Might Oak as we kick things off at Hollway.
Saturday’s match ended with a late goal to secure the win. Do you take away anything knowing your club has the ability to find a late goal in close games?
It's always a positive step for a group when they go down a goal and then show resiliency to come back and win. The men played with poise & I actually thought that we improved as the match went on. Those are important factors in a group's maturation & it shows that the players care about getting results for the club.