1. D-III Midwestern Invite, Fair Oaks Farms, IN, Early March
I'm not going to lie, this was miserable. It was 45 and rainy the whole time. Anri and I had to tell them over and over that we had survived equally bad weather. Several of them became convinced they were going to get frostbite, and the general team morale was not great. Performance-wise, not sure what there was to do because it was so windy, it was literally huck and play d.
Highlights: Lucy threw an upwind hammer that was completed
Lowlights: Weather
Takeaway: Fair Oaks Farms is an ancient indian burial ground and should be left undisturbed
2. CWRUL, Columbus, OH, Late March
This tournament was amazing. The team was completely savage, we taught them a zone so they could survive. The first game was rough, they'd never played it before and the concept of zone was brand new. The second game we won 13-1, yes. A savage B team won a game 13-1, this other team literally did not know what running was with the exception of 2 players. Morale was high going into the game against Michigan B, their only chance to play another B team all season. This game is still probably the most proud I was of them this season. The level of effort and determination on the field was at an all time high. They fed off of the other team's frustration, it felt like a rivalry in its own right. I will hold this game in my memory forever. Unfortunately, there was a bye after that and it did not play well on their tired bodies, we ended up forfeiting the last game. Sunday never quite got back to that energy level, but it's not particularly surprising. It felt like the 7 players who attended this tournament had just jumped miles ahead.
Highlights: Michigan game! Watching them figure out zone and succeed! No one came out of this weekend with a season ending injury!!!!
Lowlights: Watching them play savage
Takeaway: People improve a lot more when the weather is good.
3. Sectionals, Rantoul, IL, Mid April
I have mixed feelings about this tournament, because in some ways it felt like a step back from the previous one. Saturday was up and down. The first game felt good and then the energy level slowly drooped. The A team game was incredibly frustrating, not because they were losing obviously, but because it felt like they weren't treating it like a real game. We talked about it at halftime, some of them asked for permission to pretend they didn't know their opponents. "Of Course! Whatever you need to believe." This was a weird interaction, because it seems so obvious, you can think whatever you want. But college freshmen need to be given permission for everything, which I forgot. The second half was a lot better and a couple of them made a good case for themselves. Day 2 got cancelled after 1 round due to some more miserable weather, but Yungho scored the last point of our season! I am so proud of the way they persevered through this game, it was night and day from the way the weather at D-III affected them.
Highlights: Stringing together many passes in a row! Scoring the last point of the season despite miserable weather! Anri and I avoided hanging out at the hotel by going to Barnes and Noble!
Lowlights: Not scoring once on A team, the weather on Sunday was so bad that the Illinois players were sitting in their cars.
Takeaways: Illinois is soft, Yungho is not soft.
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