New Coach Prompts JV Girls’ Soccer to Improve for Season

ANGELYNE CHU
Sports Editor

With new JV coach Oscar Diaz, the girls’ soccer team is in store for an exciting winter season. Because a majority of the team is comprised of new members, communication and teamwork are crucial for their success.
“We need to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses [in order for us to work on them as a team]. Teamwork has been great because we are all friends outside of the sport,” right forward Valerie Russo said.
The Lady Moors have been preparing for their preseason matches by working on different strategies to improve their speed, endurance, performance and consistency. During practice, they concentrate on ball-work drills, which includes quick oversteps, passing, trapping, positioning, double scissors and ball juggling.
“As a team, we need to improve on [our] speed, tactics, techniques and strategies; we need to get in shape. We need to know where and who to communicate with on the soccer field,” goal keeper and midfielder Monica Zermeno said.
According to Zermeno, the team’s goal this year is to be undefeated in Almont League and advance to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) playoffs.
During practice, the girls constantly interact with Diaz. Diaz has been working with the players by running drills and helping the girls improve their weaknesses until their weaknesses become their strengths.
“Diaz is different from our previous coach because he [has us] play positions where we do well [and] where we can learn to play,” Zermeno said.