LJ g soccer: New ways

By Ed Piper

In their second workout as a team following tryouts the week before, La Jolla's soccer players engaged in a bull-in-the-ring kind of exercise.

An offensive player was planted in the middle, ringed by four defenders who tried to frustrate the center person in passing and receiving with four teammates on an outer circle.

"It's one of my favorite drills," said Trent Painter, the Vikings' new head coach. During a two-hour practice Tues., Nov. 20, beginning at 10:30 a.m., 10 or so team members (of 18 roster members) who were still in town during the Thanksgiving week-long vacation were run through several demanding, practical drills by Painter, who is also an assistant coach in the women's program at UCSD.

"If we do this well, there won't be any conditioning afterwards," said Painter later in the workout. "This will be our conditioning."

The drill was a half-field (with narrowed sidelines, as well) scrimmage. With so many players concentrated in such a small area, care with the ball was crucial. Otherwise, a nearby defender might snatch the ball away.

Over two days of practice observed Monday and Tuesday, Painter, who flew back to San Diego for practice in between the Tritons' NCAA Division 2 playoffs in Texas, brought energy and direction to his new team. The girls seemed to have accepted his leadership well, with a healthy dynamic in place.

The coach put emphasis on moving the ball aggressively and trying to pick spots, even if a pass was intercepted. "Good pass," he called out more than once, even when the pass failed. It was the thought and the strategy that mattered, rather than the immediate result.

Painter takes over a talented program which has won a CIF title in the last two years, so his mission won't be to revive a moribund system. His task will be to continue the fine level of play that characterized predecessor Kristin "Jonesy" Jones' years leading LJHS's program.

She yielded her long-time coaching position at La Jolla High as UCSD continues its transition in sports to Division 1 status. She became the head coach at UCSD this season. Division 1 regulations stipulate that a coach cannot coach at another institution.

Despite his position at the university, Painter apparently would serve as the transition coach for the Vikings this year, with another coach eventually assuming the post.

UCSD qualified for the Final Four beginning Thurs., Nov. 29, on the merits of its win in the quarterfinals Monday afternoon, Nov. 19.

Viking players congratulated their new coach, whom they had only seen a few times with the new season approaching. Painter said weather was cold in Texas during the NCAA quarterfinal game.

He told team members that if UCSD wins its semifinal match Thursday, he would miss their opening game the following day, Fri., Nov. 30. "That would be good news if I can't be here," he said.

In that case, he talked about LJHS boys assistant coach Victor Zendejas handling game duties. "Yeah, we like Victor," said more than one girl.

The exuberant Zendejas told a reporter Mon., Nov. 26, that he will be out of town for the Friday game, should he get the call. Someone else would have to fill in for Painter.