The Lady Spartans prepare for their upcoming season with a little friendly competition.
The girls’ soccer program works to get back in shape before the start of the spring season.
With the addition of a new coaching staff and brand new opportunities, girls’ soccer at Thomas Jefferson is in for a successful season. Like any other year, the girls have optional winter workouts, allowing them to get in shape for the upcoming season. What has made this upcoming season different from previous years, however, is the opportunity to compete in indoor soccer scrimmages during the off-season. Scrimmages take place on Fridays and Saturdays from November 4th through December 29th at the Denver Bladium. Spartans compete in these scrimmages against high schools they will play later in the season, such as Denver East and Gateway High School.
Similar to previous seasons, the Lady Spartans used the preseason in order to get in better shape, in hopes for early success once the season starts. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays players participate in workouts such as weightlifting and scrimmaging. “In order to be a competitive team in DPS and in our league, we need to be physically fit and tactically trained before the season starts,” senior Molly Little explained. The preseason also gives the Lady Spartans an opportunity to get to know each other before the season starts. This makes for better communication skills for the rest of the year, which is especially vital in games.
TJ’s soccer program includes a wide range of players with a variety of skill levels and experience, meaning indoor soccer is a new opportunity for some of the team. While indoor soccer is a very fast-paced environment for players who have only played outdoors, it is proving to be successful in improving the team’s physical abilities, exposing the team to early competition, and allowing them to have fun while doing so.
The girls’ soccer program is equipped with a brand new coaching staff this season with the addition of Social Studies teachers Matthew McHenry and Garien Behling. “We are looking forward to starting a new chapter for TJ Ladies Soccer while building a foundation for the program and working together as coaches and a team to figure it all out together,” Behling explained.
The Lady Spartans are in for a big season, making use of a brand new coaching staff and the opportunity to get an early start. Be sure to go out and support the girls’ soccer team in the upcoming year and help cheer them on to victory.
