By Jon Buzby
MaxPreps.com
Just days after completing an undefeated regular season and earning the No. 1 ranking nationally by MaxPreps, Jon Buzby caught up with John Carroll head coach Krystin Porcella…
Jon Buzby (JB): At what point in the season did you know this team was something special?
Krystin Porcella (KP): I knew there was something special about this team from the first day of tryouts. Players go hard in tryouts trying to make the team, but the level of play and intensity at tryouts was unbelievable. We were actually stopping drills to give the players a chance to rest, because they were going at each other so hard.
Another sign that this team was special is the leadership the 12 seniors provide. The team does things before they are asked, instructions are given once and the leaders follow up with the details, and the leaders run the drills. The players ask to do certain drills so that they can improve in areas where they think they need improvement.
There is so much mutual respect from player to player and player to coach. We make decisions as a team, like what to work on for tomorrow's practice, or should we start the game with a face guard on a particular opponent, or what offenses they want to be in after the first few minutes of a game.
JB: Is there a player who has been critical to the team’s success who might not show up all the time in the headlines or on the stat sheet?
KP: Defender Anne Brockmeyer, a senior, has been a workhorse for us. She comes up with key draw controls, works into the offense as a scoring threat when other attackers are doubled, hustles up and down the field making plays and is a shutdown defender.
JB: What will you tell your girls during the pre-game speech prior to the first playoff game?
KP: It is playoff time. Every person on the team has to raise her level of play…making the team better. The little things still mean the most. Take care of the little things and the big picture will fall into place. Take care of the ball and take care of each other.
JB: If you happen to lose in the playoffs, will you still consider the season a success?
KP: It would certainly be disappointing if we were to lose, but success is measured in many different ways. Each player on the team has grown physically, athletically, maturity and confidence-wise. Those are the real measures of success.
JB: Obviously you will miss your seniors next year. What have they taught the underclassmen that you hope will be carried into next season?
KP: Leadership, confidence, the expectation of winning and the work ethic to get there.
