LIHU‘ E — From the itinerary, the clinic appeared to be more of a full day’s work, rather than the four hours scheduled, Sunday. More than 70 young soccer players between ages 8 through 15 turned out to listen and
LIHU‘ E — From the itinerary, the clinic appeared to be more of a full day’s work, rather than the four hours scheduled, Sunday.
More than 70 young soccer players between ages 8 through 15 turned out to listen and learn from Vanessa Works, assistant coach for the University of Hawai‘i women’s soccer team, and Megan Omura, a physical education teacher from O‘ahu.
“This is really good,” said Toni Fischer Morath, registrant for the event. “We had a good turnout last year, and this is bigger than last year’s.”
Practice was interrupted by a visit from one of the Kaua‘i Fire Department trucks as students spent the intermission getting acquainted with the equipment and personnel. The clinic itself was sponsored by the Hawai‘i Firefighters Association with proceeds from the advertising sales helping with the Personal Exposure Reporting System, described by Robert Lee, president of the Hawai‘i Firefighters Association, as an important and critical program for firefighters.
Richard Morath, who with Toni, coordinate the Hawai‘i Firefighters
Association events on Kaua‘i, said he was pleased with the turnout for the free clinic.
“This is just one of the ways the fire department gives back to the community,” he said.
Game schedule had players, many coming from local community programs like the American Youth Soccer Organization and the Kaua‘i Soccer Association, learning drills which helped them in personal development as well as improving team play in soccer.
The clinic was broken down to basic ball handling skills and psyching up for the game with topics including “Practice as rehearsal for the game” and “Fun games related to the theme of practice.”
Warm ups led to One-and-One where players learned cooperative play and working together for improving basic skills on the game field.
In the area of One versus One, players worked on the importance of playing weaker players against stronger players and vice versa leading to players being able to make decisions on the field.
Following the game, players learned the stretches to “cool down” as well as the psychological cooldown and making hard work seem like fun.
Works is a first-season assistant coach for the Rainbow Wahine, coming from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she spent the 2009 season as the goalkeeper coach and second assistant.
It was under her guidance that standout UNLV goalkeeper Alicia Lugo earned All-Mountain West Conference second team honors after leading the conference in saves per game at 5.26.
“We’re very happy to have Vanessa join the staff,” said Pinsoom Tenzing, the Hawai‘i head coach. “I think she’ll be an exceptional coach for us. She’s very committed, responsible and passionate about the sport, and all these attributes will greatly benefit our players.”
The Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation soccer season for boys and girls start on Dec. 15 when Kapa‘a hosts Kaua‘i at the New Kapa‘a Town Park stadium, and Island School hosts Waimea.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
