Calaveras Enterprise Sports Editor Guy Dossi spoke with Bret Harte head soccer coach Joel Barnett during Bullfrog practice in Angels Camp. The two spoke of how Barnett is doing more teaching this year, different coaching strategies and the strength of the Mother Lode League.
GD: You knew heading into this season that you would have a pretty green team when it comes to soccer knowledge and fundamentals. So do you find yourself having to do more teaching of the little things, even at this point in the season?
JB: Absolutely. Even just five minutes ago I was talking to the team and I told them that we have three things to do today and that was we need to learn how to be better soccer players, institue a game plan for our game against Linden and …show more content…
Do you enjoy the teaching aspect when it comes to coaching?
JB: I do like teaching the absolute basic technique. I love coaching JV because I love to see the progress. However, you do want to move on. We just finished a club season where we had some success and we were working on all kinds of formations and passing schemes that we can’t even approach on the high school team.
GD: During the preseason you guys played Ripon and you had a pretty wild game plan. You had all but one player back on defense, basically throwing any offensive attack out the window and it worked for a while. Where did you come up with that idea?
JB: That is known as parking the bus. It’s when one team knows that they really don’t have a chance to play open against the other team. So, the best example was Chelsea vs. Barcelona in the 2009 Champions League finals. Chelsea had no business playing Barcelona and they did that strategy to perfection. One ball squirted out to the guy out on top who went to score and Chelsea won the game 1-0.
GD: And that’s what you are hoping to accomplish when you do …show more content…
Senior Archer Bitner has taken over as your full-time goalie. He just took over that role a week ago, so how is he progressing?
JB: Lucky, Archer has a lot of memory from his earlier soccer days. He’s coming along really well and he’s looking fantastic. I couldn't be happier with his progress. If he wasn’t a brand new goalie, he wouldn’t be ready until next year.
GD: This has been a difficult year with a lot of inexperienced players, but you still have some really good players on this team. The two that come to mind are captains Ryan Barnett and Ryan Crawford. Is it rough for you to see two good players like that and know that they aren’t going to taste the success that they would want in their final year of Bret Harte soccer?
JB: It is what it is. I think it’s more frustrating for them because it is for me. It’s their team, not my team. If you dreamt up the prefect sinaro, I’m sure it’s not their dream season.
GD: The Mother Lode League is really good this year. Of course, Linden is the top team. But Summerville and Amador are also making a case for the top spot. What are your thoughts on the MLL this
GD: You knew heading into this season that you would have a pretty green team when it comes to soccer knowledge and fundamentals. So do you find yourself having to do more teaching of the little things, even at this point in the season?
JB: Absolutely. Even just five minutes ago I was talking to the team and I told them that we have three things to do today and that was we need to learn how to be better soccer players, institue a game plan for our game against Linden and …show more content…
Do you enjoy the teaching aspect when it comes to coaching?
JB: I do like teaching the absolute basic technique. I love coaching JV because I love to see the progress. However, you do want to move on. We just finished a club season where we had some success and we were working on all kinds of formations and passing schemes that we can’t even approach on the high school team.
GD: During the preseason you guys played Ripon and you had a pretty wild game plan. You had all but one player back on defense, basically throwing any offensive attack out the window and it worked for a while. Where did you come up with that idea?
JB: That is known as parking the bus. It’s when one team knows that they really don’t have a chance to play open against the other team. So, the best example was Chelsea vs. Barcelona in the 2009 Champions League finals. Chelsea had no business playing Barcelona and they did that strategy to perfection. One ball squirted out to the guy out on top who went to score and Chelsea won the game 1-0.
GD: And that’s what you are hoping to accomplish when you do …show more content…
Senior Archer Bitner has taken over as your full-time goalie. He just took over that role a week ago, so how is he progressing?
JB: Lucky, Archer has a lot of memory from his earlier soccer days. He’s coming along really well and he’s looking fantastic. I couldn't be happier with his progress. If he wasn’t a brand new goalie, he wouldn’t be ready until next year.
GD: This has been a difficult year with a lot of inexperienced players, but you still have some really good players on this team. The two that come to mind are captains Ryan Barnett and Ryan Crawford. Is it rough for you to see two good players like that and know that they aren’t going to taste the success that they would want in their final year of Bret Harte soccer?
JB: It is what it is. I think it’s more frustrating for them because it is for me. It’s their team, not my team. If you dreamt up the prefect sinaro, I’m sure it’s not their dream season.
GD: The Mother Lode League is really good this year. Of course, Linden is the top team. But Summerville and Amador are also making a case for the top spot. What are your thoughts on the MLL this