@CanesFutbol Captain's Corner: July 22, 2015

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The captains of the University of Miami soccer team for the 2015 season are writing a blog for HurricaneSports.com this year called Captain’s Corner, with Shannon McCarthy providing the opening entries this offseason.

Wednesday, in her second entry, McCarthy provides some more insight into the team’s preparation for the upcoming season in her second entry . . .

Hello again Canes fans! The excitement on the team is growing with each passing day leading to the start of the 2015 season. Preseason camp starts in just two short weeks.

This week of training is the last “hard” week I am putting my girls through. We’ll run fitness tests, as if it were test day, and play competitive small-sided games.

Next week’s training will be based on each girl’s individual discretion. I encourage each of my teammates to do what she feels is best for her body in order to be at the highest possible level for preseason, whether it’s running, resting or some type of recovery workout.

Since my last post, a handful of my teammates have made the fitness standard and it is awesome to see the wave of relief wash over them! I am so proud of my girls because I know how hard they work to reach, and even exceed, the fitness standards.

The level of soccer is high during the small-sided game after fitness; each player brings something to the table that makes it competitive. This kind of atmosphere enhances creativity and creates an environment where we can learn to incorporate our new players.

I wish I had a magic wand I could wave to fast-forward to our first game! As a player, there is no greater feeling than stepping on the field wearing the “U” on my chest; it is a privilege. I am honored to take the field with my teammate and it is an opportunity I will never take for granted. In every training session and in every game, I leave it all on the field and give it my all. The best part about it is I know my teammates are doing the exact same.

Thanks again for reading! Go Canes!