Women's soccer team faces crushing losses, players speak out

As I sat on the blazing hot metal bleachers and witnessed the opposing team score with ease, I thought I was at my nephew's Little League game. Despairing because the outcome of the game was out of my control, I feared looking up at the scoreboard, but I did anyway. 11-0. Wait-shouldn't the game have been stopped due to the 10-0 run rule?Unfortunately, this wasn't a Little League game. I was at the Lady Dustdevils' soccer match against Incarnate Word. I wondered why the women's soccer team has struggled so much for the past two seasons. How do the players and coach feel? What is the problem?Last year's season proved unsuccessful; the women finished with a final record of 2-15-1. This record can, however, be attributed to the program's recent addition to NCAA. At the time, women's soccer, along with every other sport, had only been provisional NCAA members for two years. The university is now an active NCAA member and therefore eligible to participate and advance to the NCAA Division II tournament.So what is the reason for this year's record of 1-19-0? I decided to interview the coach and players in order to find some answers. Out of the 12 recruited players, eight agreed to comment but on the condition they remain anonymous. *They have been given pseudonyms to protect their identities. Head Coach Anna Girdwood expressed disappointment with her team's performance thus far."I had high expectations for this team just as the players themselves did; unfortunately, things did not go as planned, and I take responsibility for my role just as the players themselves should," said Girdwood.The Lady Dustdevils felt differently and did not mince words in voicing their complaints."She [Girdwood] does not recruit enough players for a soccer team," said *Vicky.The players are also concerned with the coach's tendency to recruit only attackers, thus forcing the Lady Dustdevils to play positions they have never played before."All of our recruits are attackers [forwards and midfielders]; some players are forced to play defense, while others-like our goalie-[have] to play as a forward due to the shortage of players," said *Catherine.Girdwood, however, does not think recruiting has been an issue."Recruiting has already surpassed expectations," said Girdwood.If, according to Girdwood, recruiting is not the problem, then what is?"Besides not having enough players, we also are not fit because we don't condition before or during season," said *Hillary."It seems as if she's not experienced as a coach," added *Ariel.During the game versus Incarnate Word, few changes or substitutions were made. In fact, while Incarnate Word played their second string, the Lady Dustdevils were still struggling and looked out of breath."It isn't supposed to be easy; if it were, everyone would play college sports," said Girdwood.Yet, according to players, joining the women's soccer team is relatively easy. *Annie, another Lady Dustdevil, claims there is no competition due to a lack of players. "We don't have to compete for our starting spots because there aren't enough players to do so; therefore, we are forced to use walk-ons," said Annie.The team holds approximately seven walk-ons or non-recruited players."We depend on people that have never or don't know how to play soccer," said *Jane."We basically have no soccer credibility," added *Kelly Anne.The players' complaints do not stop at coaching style or recruiting techniques. They are also unhappy with how they are treated on road trips."She doesn't know how to draw the line," said Ariel.Girdwood believes that some players will enjoy their soccer career while others will not."It's very intimate; we go through everything together, [and] there will be those who will be happy and, of course, those that aren't," said Girdwood.The Lady Dustdevils insist they simply want to be treated respectfully and properly."In 15 hours, we only had one meal," said Vicky."If you get in trouble, she says, 'You are my bitch,' which is not professional," said *Billy Jean.After all the venting and complaints were said, a player summed up the team's main concern."We want the athletic board to realize how hungry we are to win and how we just wished we had some help," said Hillary.Although the past two seasons have been unsuccessful, Girdwood believes she has a bright future ahead.According to her, the athletic department gave her until 2009 to "turn the program around.""With the players I have returning from injury and squad players, I firmly expect 2009 [to] be our break out year," said Girdwood.But will players be patient enough to wait another year for a winning season?"If things don't change by next year, I am going back home," said *Kristina."I might go home next semester," added *Jane.It's sad to lose legitimate student athletes due to issues they can not control. All they can do is play and expect the coach to recruit enough good players the next time around.I honestly do hope next year will be the "break out year" for the women's soccer team; however, a great year is reached by having decent seasons leading to that year. Going from two wins one year to one win the next does not bode well for a promising future.Girdwood said she is "trying to bring to this program [her] unique experience as an English person, [which] is rare in America but more so in South Texas."Hopefully, with English soccer (with which I am unfamiliar) comes winning because I am tired and sad of seeing the final scoreboard of the women's team post scores such as 11-0, 9-0, 8-0, and 7-0.