The LSU Women’s Soccer Club is a competitive University Recreation team that travels and competes in the fall against other southern schools in our region.
            The team has a new coach this year named Kevin Tanner who takes pride in coaching players that “understand the game and play at a high level of competition with respect for the other team and their University.” He works hard to train and condition the girls for a winning season.
            They have played one game so far at Tulane earlier this week, and the final score was tied. Third year member Vanessa Andrews, junior, said the team played well together for the first game. Andrews also says that she is happy with coach Tanner.
            “He’s the reason why we’re better,” says Andrews. He has coaching experience and knows how to train.”
            Tanner takes his team and his job very seriously.
            “It takes great stamina to play 80 minutes of soccer. They are a very fast and physical team with lots of talent,” Tanner says. “The only weakness is our fitness level, but we have a solid lineup and a deep bench. The tempo of the game does not change when someone subs in.”
            Team President Sidnei Banks says there aren’t many differences between last year’s team and this year’s team because there are a lot of returners, although she says that the team is “way more committed, which is very important.”           
            “We have two big rivals, Alabama and Tulane. The most important part of a team is learning how to work well together, and once that happens, everything just falls into place.”
            Andrews agreed that the team is bonding quickly already, and that this year’s team will do great things.
            “There were so many great competitive players to choose from,” said Andrews. “I really enjoy club soccer because it’s competitive but allows the players to have a life outside soccer for things like work and free time. It’s as competitive as varsity soccer, except we don’t travel as much, and practice twice a week instead of five.”
            The team practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays for two hours at a time to prepare themselves for the fall season ahead. The club’s first home game is October 3 against University of New Orleans. The women will play against rival Alabama this Sunday, September 19.
            Tryouts are usually at the beginning of the fall semester and last for three days with a final team announcement on the fourth day. Andrews found out about the team her freshman year by word of mouth, student organizations set up in free speech alley, and flyers around freshman dorms. Anyone interested in joining the team can go to the team websites, http://www.lsu.edu/urec/html/womens_soccer_club.html, http://www.lsu.edu/student_organizations/womenssoccerclub/index.html, or the facebook group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2201107548#!/group.php?gid=2201107548&v=info. Interested players can also contact Sidnei Banks at [email protected].