The new look of Girls’ Soccer pre-season

Sedona Sweginnis | Writer & Celia Mann | Writer

September 6, 2024

Goals, including CIF, stronger bodies, fewer injuries, and plenty of fun, have become the new foundation of the Tritons Girls’ Soccer pre-season this year. As the Tritons Girls’ Soccer team looks to move into a new season, their training takes a new direction as well, focused on a revamped set of goals. In the past, the team has focused more on ball mastery and light repetitions in the pre-season, but second-year Head Coach Jennie Mann has “decided to change things up a little,” working toward a new field of mastery, particularly in building strength at a local gym: O-Sea Crossfit. 

The program now pays special attention to strength training and injury prevention along with team bonding. As the team trains, aspirations toward CIF and creating an enjoyable atmosphere remain the major focus; however, the new cornerstone of injury prevention has emerged as a vital aspect of the program. 

Understanding the fact that the girls are “already playing a lot of soccer with their club team,” Coach Mann has implemented a program of weight training to improve her athletes in a new way. Lifting equips the players to become “stronger” on the ball as well as “more stable, more flexible, [and] more agile,” according to Mann who has an extensive background in athletic development.

Before becoming a coach, Mann played soccer her whole life leading into college and, eventually, she played semipro. In college, she played at both Ole Miss and Purdue University. In high school she did competitive weightlifting, providing her with extensive knowledge on how to reach top-level athletic performance. 

In addition to growing the soccer abilities of the athletes, the new format of the soccer pre-season will pave the way for increased strength, discipline, and athleticism that can carry over to all aspects of life. Dedicated senior Hailey Cobb is enthusiastic about the new strengthening opportunities provided. She exclaimed that she “really like[s] the new pre-season” and enjoys having the chance to “challenge [herself],” discover “how much [she] can lift,” and “learn new workouts” that push her body in various ways. As the girls push themselves to be better soccer players, they learn the valuable skill of enjoying working out and strengthening themselves, which they can continue to benefit from for the rest of their lives.

The team lifts also provide a vital bonding opportunity for the girls that fosters the close-knit and positive atmosphere that Coach Mann strives to create for her athletes. Sophomore and long-time soccer player Cali Ethington expressed that she cherishes the weekly opportunity to “[lift] with [her] teammates.” As the team spends time working together to get stronger, they learn new movements and workouts which draws them closer. Ethington also found that the lifting has improved her confidence, relationships with teammates, and her “strength on the field,” allowing her to enjoy the sport even more.

To further improve the program, a professor at Cal Baptist University worked closely with the girls’ soccer program over the summer to prevent injuries during games through specific “types of warm-ups [that] are best for girls’ soccer players,” Coach Mann explained. After weeks of this specific warm-up, the athletes were tested again, and the data was compiled to identify the best-suited warm-up for these players to keep them healthy and on the field so that they perform to their full potential. Mann expressed her disappointment following the fact that the program had “a lot of injuries last year,” sidelining many of her top players but inspiring her to focus on this aspect of the program this year.

Considering the significant but necessary changes that are being made to pre-season, the girls’ soccer program is improving their chances of being league champions and qualifying for CIF. After spending the majority of her first year at the helm of the program “building [new] systems and processes,” Coach Mann is excited to “grow and develop” what she has laid the groundwork for. Moving forward with a new and uplifting format, the whole program is looking forward to seeing what they can accomplish in the upcoming season.