Lady booters not idle during their offseason

It's been several months since the Penn State women's soccer team lost to Santa Clara, 3-1, in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. The loss brought an end to an impressive season for the Lady Lions, one that was recognized by a No. 10 final ranking.

But what has the team been up to since? Freezing temperatures have made it virtually impossible for players to venture outside and get critical touches on the ball. For most of winter Jeffrey Field has been buried under ice and snow. In fact, coach Pat Farmer's squad doesn't even have an outdoor match scheduled until early April.

However, the team is by no means resting on its laurels and isn't merely content to wait anxiously until the cold weather passes or until the regular season rolls around next fall.

Holuba Hall, Penn State's gigantic indoor training facility, has provided relief for any soccer "cabin fever."

Farmer, along with assistant Paula Wilkins, is implementing four team workouts per week in Holuba, allowing the team to play full 11-on-11 scrimmages. Last weekend the team played in an indoor tournament against several club teams, including squads from Rutgers, Bucknell, Boston, Canada and even the Ukraine.

Getting a chance to play in actual game situations was a relief for the eager players.

This relief was brought on because since the first week after winter break the team has been going through a strict fitness training program, a necessary component of staying in good physical condition, but certainly not a favorite activity among the players.

Each player also has been working individually with the coaches, getting together with Farmer and Wilkins and working on a particular weaknesses. For example, defensive players will most likely work on skills, such as containing an offensive attacker, while offensive players will most likely work on skills such as shooting or passing.

Farmer said he likes these individual workouts because they allow his players to improve their technical skill. He believes just because a player has reached the collegiate level of soccer, that doesn't necessarily mean they have mastered some technical skills. He said some of his players enjoy the individual workouts, while others are less enthusiastic.

Midfielder Lauren Miller said she enjoys the individual workouts but feels they are "not as beneficial as game situations."

The team certainly will face a real game situation April 19 when it takes on Notre Dame, a true powerhouse in women's soccer. Winners of the 1995 national championship, Notre Dame finished second last season after losing to champion North Carolina in the title match.

The Notre Dame match, along with Penn State's final No. 10 ranking in the coaches' poll, provides inspiration for intense off-season preparation. The Lady Lions want to show they are indeed a top-10 caliber team.

Farmer also is looking toward the future, particularly next season, when he will have a team that lost only three seniors from last year's squad.