As a coach it is always ideal to bring a team back on the field with chemistry and progression from the prior year. It’s normal to see a team return with 13 players to a 19 man…or in this case woman, roster. But for this year, the Skyline women’s soccer team only has only five veteran players, Katlyn Jaques, Jazmin Cazares, Daphne Manilla, Malissa Motylewski, and Rasha Shehadeh. Last year, Katlyn Jaques led the team with 23 goals and 8 assists and Jazmin Cazares bringing in 8 goals and 6 assists.
The ratio between freshman and sophomores is undeniably large this season, but head coach Kevin Corsiglia knows that this is the chance to give the second year players an opportunity to become mentors to the young freshman.
“I think the sophomores need to be relied on as people that have knowledge and players that can assist in the process of learning of what we are trying to do here,” Corsiglia said. “If they want to look at somebody to see how to do it, they should be looking at the sophomores. The sophomores are models.”
Corsiglia sees these returning girls as mentors or teachers to the incoming freshman. They have been there before, in balancing work, homework, practice, and a normal life. If they did it once, they sure can teach it once, right?
Jaques, Cazares, Manilla, Motylewski, and Shehaeh have seen it and done it before. In the most recent years following the Skyline women’s soccer team coming in first as conference champions, City College women’s team was on the rise and since then has won every championship. With City College so close to home, some may pose the teams as upcoming rivals.
“We know the championship and where we want to get back to runs through City College,” said Corsiglia.
Although, if their record is insignificant when they play against City College then it’s just another win. Corsiglia believes the feeling for his sophomores may be different. Much action went on between the girls last year with Skyline coming to an 0-2-1 record against City, you can only imagine the intensity that went on, on the field.
“You could definitely feel the pressure in the game and with the sophomores last year,” said Manilla.
“I feel a rivalry!,” said Motylewski after agreeing with Manilla.
The two seemed very passionate about the rivalry. Another stepping stone these 5 veterans can offer their freshman is how to keep cool and take on a prosperous team like City College. They have already given their newbies a heads up, because they know that at this point those girls are the only ones on the team that know how they work.
The first game against City College it will be played at Skyline, which should give the team a better stance on meeting them the first time this year. Another advantage they have on City is one of the reigning champs is now a Trojan. Leila Torres was a freshman at City College last year, and although she didn’t receive much play time, Leila knows the inside scoop on how they work. Both Manilla and Motylewski suspect Torres is a good weapon of knowledge against their rivals and can only hope that it helps give Skyline a leg up on competition.
Coach Corsiglia made note that his sophomores last year did a great job in helping teach the game and knows his ones this year can do the same. Some freshman may not be ready for their first game against Los Medanos on September 4, but even though its déjà vu for players like Manilla and Motylewski, karma should come around this season in assisting the younger players, since that was what helped the year prior.
They all believe the girls are a good group that is far from shy. One thing they do want to teach them is that it’s different at this level, that it isn’t high school, and though there will always be similarities, it’s more serious now. The girls agreed on a lot of things showing the chemistry is there with them.
