Girls' Soccer to Build Off Summer Camp Effort

For most teenagers, the summer is a time for sleeping in, spending the afternoon on the beach and enjoying a two-month hiatus from the daily grind of high school.

In 2010, this was not the case for the Hamilton-Wenham girls soccer team.

Instead, the team took it upon themselves to organize a summer camp program to improve their skills, reaching out to a local coach familiar with several members of the squad.

With the season opener slated for Sept. 13 against North Reading, second-year head coach Chal Congdon is looking for consistency from his team, and hopes the disappointment of 2009 will soon be forgotten.

"This program has had a lot of coaching changes in recent years, so coming back this season I want to build off of our goals from last year and continue our philosophy," he said. "It is easy for the high school game to become a kick-and-run contest, which we want to stay away from."

The Hamilton-Wenham style of play focuses on ball control and field management, requiring clear communication and an understanding of the game are paramount, he said. In fact, Congdon said communication between the players on the field, and between the team and coaching staff, are of utmost importance for improving.

In the week after two-a-day practices began, Congdon began searching for suitable roles for his players.

"Every year at this time, you go through a process of looking for who will step up as leaders and also for how to fill certain positions on the field," he said. "We're lucky to have only lost four players last year, and have a good group of returning players for 2010."

That group includes senior captains Katie Florez, Hannah Chmura, and Danielle Carp, as well as midfielder Caroline Savasta and junior striker Joy Santerelli who are both expected to make major contributions to the offense.

The highlights of last year's disappointing season were a tie against Newburyport and a one-goal loss to Lynnfield. This year, Hamilton-Wenham can expect another season of fierce competition.

"The Cape Ann League was very strong last year, and I expect the same again this season," said Congdon. "We know what teams have strong programs, but the key is going to be approaching every game the same way and to give our best effort."