Final 4

Last blog I was able to write a great story, stories about winning are always easier! I am sure we all have seen the sports movies, all the great ones have 1 thing in common…. at the end the good team always wins…. Did you ever ask yourself how a sports movie would be like if the team losses the game at the end?

Unfortunately I can tell you! This season was a record breaking year for Maryland Hockey! We had our first ever undefeated regular season in Maryland Field Hockey history. We won the ACC championship and were 22-0 going to the final 4 in Winston – Salem, NC. This year the final 4 was going to be the best final 4 since I have been coaching at Maryland. UVA, Princeton, UNC and us were the best 4 teams in the nation in my opinion. All teams have great coaching staffs and are well structured and organized. All teams have individual qualities that could have a decisive influence on the outcome of a game.

We played to most thrilling semi final anybody could ever imagine! Playing Princeton (we beat them 3-2 in OT during the regular season) we knew it was going to be a high paced game! The first phase of the game saw us have the better opportunities and a few small chances to take the lead! It was however Princeton that scored first! I guess we needed that goal to wake up! We eventually took got a 4-1 lead at the beginning of the 2nd half! 4-1 up in a National Championship semi final, we are in control…. it seemed that Princeton did not really agree with us and with attacking hockey they got back to 4-4, we had to start all over again to build or even get a lead!

As coaches we know that with a tied score and limited time each goal can be the last one! The relief we felt when we scored the 5-4 was enormous! The games ended in 7-5 for us and the crowd was definitely the big winner! As a coach you can be happy with the 7 goals but not with the 5 against! It showed our weaknesses and we only had 1 day to get back in shape for the National Championship game.

The other semi final was another thriller eventually UNC beat UVA and so we were all set for Terps versus the Tar Heels on sunday for the 2009 National Championship.

UNC and Maryland are 2 teams that know each other well! Multiple videos are watched to scout the opponent and nothing is left unspoken before the game! Whatever we can control we do control. During the regular season UNC – Maryland was a well anticipated game, no 1 vs no 2 and both team were unbeaten at that time.

We had our tactical plan ready and we executed it well in the first half! We controlled the game and had the best opportunities in the first half! We outshot UNC 12-1 in the first half, score at half time however was 0-0. The start of the 2nd half saw the same play as in the first half! It was us that scored the first goal. Nicole Muracco broke the score with great shot midway the 2nd half. This goal eventually would lead into the craziest final phase of a game that I have witnessed. Very quickly after the 1st goal UNC game back and tied the game again. On a corner rebound we scored the 2-1 with just 12 minutes to go! At this time UNC had played with 10 players due to a yellow card and soon we were the ones that were a player down. UNC used the man up situation and even pulled their goalkeeper to give them a double advantage, their plan worked 2-2! The UNC goalie came back in the game and with just 7 minutes to go we had 11 v 11 and still a tied National Championship final. After our yellow card and the 2-2 from UNC we were not able to gain control back over the game! We could not control the ball and connect our passes! This made UNC stronger and while we were preparing the overtime line up. It was UNC that was awarded a penalty corner with just 12 seconds to go! 3-2 UNC…. With just seconds on the clock we could not do anything anymore, it was over!

And that is how I know how it is to be on the other side of all those great sports movies! Heartbroken players, disappointed friends, parents and  Terp fans. Seeing the other team celebrate while you were suppose to be the one… it hurts, it still does. The way we lost that game was extra painful, being in control and just seeing it slipping out of your hands in just 7 minutes is extremely hard. So close to the perfect season and just losing 1 game your entire season….

During the our entire season we scored at least 3 goals or more each game.. expect for 2 games.. our 2nd game of the season and the last one…

Losing is a part of the job that we have that nobody likes, we are suppose to really hate it but at the end of all the coaches we have only 1 can win. So I suppose the more important part is how to deal with a loss! Learn from it, know where it went wrong and change it! Make sure the same mistake won’t cost you the game again. Eventually that is the only thing we can do improving is the biggest responsibility of our jobs. Improving in all aspects, on and off the field.

Well, it was a good thing I waited a while before I wrote about that game!! I was in San Diego last week with the National team and people still ask me how could you lose that game…. I took me some time what he was talking about! I have my focus on 2010, a new class, a new season and a new challenge, I am looking forward to it!

I also have some interesting blogs coming up! Next week I will tell about the USA – Canada series! I just spend 2 weeks with the Men’s National team and will let you know how that was! The week after that I will be in India during the World Cup hockey for men! I was invited to an international FIH high performance coaching course and will share my experiences with you!

Let’s hope all off this snow will be gone soon, time to hit the fields again!

Tjerk

Tjerk Van Herwaarden
Technical Director, University of Maryland  :::  UMD
Co-Owner, World Camp USA ::: World Camp USA
US Distributor of Princess T14 Hockey Sticks ::: Link