Homecoming is More Than QB1

She's gonna kill us for running this ad!

So we got what I thought was  a great question on Twitter (@jmusportsblog) the other day from @JMO_757.  What did we think the ceiling was for the football Dukes before the JT suspension and what did we think now?  It was a great question, but the truth is we have no clue.  The only thing I can say for sure is that I’m more concerned about the off-field/chemistry/locker-room/distraction issues than I am about on-field dropoff in play.  Were the Dukes really destined for a final four berth with consistent misreads on bread-and-butter option plays and a coach without the confidence in his QB’s passing abilityand decision-making to open up the offense?  On the other hand, there has to be some reason JT won the preseason competition and the coaches know just a wee bit more about making that decision than we do.  But honestly, we all (us most of all) need to take a step back, look for a little perspective, and get ready to enjoy a great fall weekend in the ‘Burg.  Or maybe it’s just the Bartman documentary and the self-reflection it provokes.

And in that spirit, we thought we’d go all Rudy on you and shine a spotlight on a feel-good story of a program not making headlines for rumors, weed, fights, or controversy.  Don’t worry, we’ll be back with a full game preview for the Ticks and of course the all-important HC BOTW pick on Friday. 

One of the best things about being a season-ticket holder the last five years has been connecting, or reconnecting, with JMU peeps from outside the tiny world we now realize we actually inhabited during the time we were “earning” our degrees.  And as we’ve mentioned before in this space, as huge sports fans, one of the coolest people we’ve met is Head Field Hockey Coach Antoinette Lucas.  She might be the best athlete currently living in the Valley, is funny (especially about Mickey), and is leading a hard-working and committed squad of young women that JMU folks can be proud of without reservation.  Here’s a few questions we had a chance to ask her at the CCSU game and we’d just like to encourage everyone to enjoy this weekend for everything it offers (reintroducing old friends to a gameday experience that is shocking if you’re a pre-04 grad and haven’t been back, cheap beer, east campus, and best of all celebrating with friends like always) and not spending a great fall Saturday in the long shadow of a beautiful new Bridgeforth myopically discussing the questionable decision-making of a 19 year old (there but for the grace of….).

Interview with Coach L

1) What are your expectations for Dukes FH this year?  Is a CAA title a possiblity?  What about an NCAA berth?  We are very much in a re-building year.  If we advance to the CAA finals or NCAA play this year we will have hugely overachieved.   What I have seen from our team this year though is that they are capable and willing to run through a brick wall to overachieve.  It is a great feeling to have such a young, enthusiastic group of determined young women.  It bodes well for JMU, the future of our team and the athletes involved.
 
2) Any newcomers (freshmen or transfers) you’re really excited about?
I have and continue to be excited about all of our  8 incoming freshmen.  Across the board, we have talent and work ethic that can ignite our team to a sustainable top 10-15 program level for their next 4 years of eligibility. 

Super Frosh Taylor West

With that being said, Taylor West is our most decorated freshmen to date.  She will be a USA Olympian and National Team player once she is healthy.  Unfortunately, she has struggled with stress fractures in her shins for the last year.  She rested her legs from  the end of May, 2011 until the start of our pre-seasion (very limited running) but has unfortunately had a recurrence of pain in her shins after competing in pre-season and 4 of our competitions.  We are resting her now and will be making day by day decisions to see if she can continue to compete with us this fall.
We also had the misfortune of losing our English recruit, Chole Tyler, during pre-season.  She left for home for undisclosable reasons.  She would have developed in to a very good player had she chosen to stay.  We wish her the best and respect her reasons to return to her home country. 
3) What’s your team’s biggest strength at this point?  Our team’s biggest strength’s at this point is our heart,desire and our willingness to compete against the odds.  I could not predict in our scheduling that we would  have lost several key players to injury etc..  Fortunately, with our injuries and losses to our roster, we have  retained athletes that are willing to work together and to find ways to  compete.  It has been a great group to work with a group that wants to win so badly, but gosh, I wish they would shoot more! I also hope and pray that Sam Smiertka, our junior captain who is suffering from a disc injury in her back, and Taylor West will return to action soon
 
4) Any new stories about whipping Mickey’s behind on the golf course?  Mickey has been MIA on the golf course! My take on it is he played poorly at Pebble Beach in early June and then  whined about it all summer…   He has teases me ALL THE TIME about being able to “get in my helmet” when I putt..(I do putt like I am hitting the ball in to next week) but uh, please..  Can you at least show up to play?!? 🙂