CALGARY – With a strong belief that the building blocks are in place, the 2008 edition of the Dinos women's soccer team is determined to make significant strides in the competitive Canada West league.
Youth will definitely be the theme of this year, as only two of the 20 roster players are in their fourth year or older and no fewer than nine rookies on the squad.
While the veteran presence might be few in number, head coach Robin Slot is not concerned with the quality of the leadership, nor is he concerned with the youthfulness of his lineup.
“The team will rely on the leadership of the senior players such as team captain Andrea Hayes (5th year, Calgary), Brittany Benson (4th, Calgary) and Caitlin Milne (3rd, Calgary),” coach Slot said. “With some vital experience gained last year, the new young players will now have a chance to prove themselves in 2008.”
Among the new faces in the Dinos lineup this year include exciting players such as Tessa Miller (Calgary), Vanessa Graham (Calgary), Sheila Morrison (Red Deer), and Megan McKinley (Ottawa).
For the Dinos to improve upon their disappointing seventh place finish in 2007, they must improve on their offensive attack while maintaining their defensive intensity. During one stretch last season, the Dinos weren't able to find the back of the net for five straight games; however, with a refreshing new attitude in the air, coach Slot has seen a significant dedication to improve this year.
“The player commitment in the off-season has been one of the more determined efforts in recent memory,” he said. “We're hungry to prove that we are a force to be reckoned with.”
The Dinos will certainly need to see that this commitment level stays high throughout the regular season. With their team coming out of a transition phase, they will need to be firing on all cylinders to surprise the conference, and hopefully nab a spot in Canada West playoffs.
The Dinos start their season in the prairies with tilts against the Regina Cougars and the Manitoba Bisons the weekend of Sept. 6-7. They return home the next weekend with matches versus the University of Alberta Pandas and the Saskatchewan Huskies on Sept. 13-14, respectively. All home games are on the West Varsity Soccer Pitch.
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