To understand future posts it will probably help to know the history of melee as I’ve experienced it.
My record is 2-2 in the games to go to nationals. My earlier posts describe my first few seasons. As for the next two…
2009 was hard. We’d lost 9-10 players (it was a long time ago, I forget). Most of our handlers. Recruiting was the worst it had been in quite a while. We were lucky to have several experienced players come up from Mayhem but we still had a lot of true rookies. I’m grateful for my captains BS and Steph (who are both now coaching melee and mayhem respectively) who held their heads high in what was an incredibly rough season. They hid their disappointment better than I would have expected after a loss to Wisconsin B in a fall tournament. 2009 was the year I learned about the head game. My play was sub par. My focus was lacking most of the time. I did not improve as much as one would expect. It was also the year that would shape the future of my ultimate career.
In 2010 the rookies blew us away. The second week my captain and I looked at each other and knew. This was the year. Quarters at nationals. We could do it. The most athletic team melee had ever seen. Cuts were difficult because there were so many good players / players with great potential. Mayhem was looking good with good numbers and many athletes that were willing to work hard. This was the year. We swept sectionals and day one of regionals in Austin. Finals was our first game on Saturday pitting us against WashU, the number one team in the region the year before. We learned from the past tournaments that the first game of the day was always a little rocky. Our wonderful coaches came up with a great idea. Get it out of the way early on. The game was later in the day so we showed up two hours early, had time to get our heads on our shoulders, and had a mini practice. The first point made it obvious that we were fully prepared for the game. Though closer than expected, not once was I worried about the outcome. The sidelines were full of people cheering for us. Parents. Friends. Alums. It was much different than 2007 when I watched the entire region cheering not for the other team, but instead against us. The game was spirited yet intense.
Melee celebrates after winning the south region
I have a good relationship with many players on WashU and remember one of them coming up to me later and saying (paraphrased) “We should have been at the fields earlier too. We would have been more prepared.” Well done coaches. Well done. We held seed finishing 17th at nationals. Overall I was disappointed with the finish but was pleased that we upset 9th seed Pitt. BS tore her ACL again in the game against Carleton and the team moral visibly sunk, losing the game 9-15 after taking the first 3 points. At our last team gathering one of my teammates said “I didn’t realize how good we could be until the second day.” But it was too late.
2011…
This is the year. And this time our whole team believes it.
This is the year. We lost three big players (and three great nicknames). Chump. BS. Creepy. We are pleased to have BS on our sidelines coaching with Terry who is returning from last year.
Game one is Sunday is always a battle. It has been the case for the last four years. Sunday of regionals we saw the difference it made being 100% ready for a game the first point. This year start every day focusing on the first game. Coming out strong. It paid off last fall. Splitting X/Y with Mayhem at the first tournament, Texas finished 1st and 3rd. Harvest Moon we finished 2nd and were the only college team in the top 4. CCC we finished 3rd losing to UNC-Wilmington in semis and beating UNC in the consolation game. Being the lucky one on Texas X, my record for the fall is something like 17-2.
So far we’ve had two major setbacks. One of our top rookies from last year tore her ACL at CCC. As well as another girl who we pulled up from Mayhem and I was incredibly excited about playing with. The team will definitely feel the loss but I’m certain we have the depth to make up for it. Depth that we started building in 2009. It may have been hard. But this year I’m grateful for that season.
This is the year. This is the year I won’t have any regrets.