University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Soccer Wraps Up Preseason Camp, Earns No. 18 Ranking
August 11, 2006 | Soccer
"I feel like we have a great situation here,” said Baker. "We're ranked 18th in the preseason and we will be making every effort to have a successful season and advance to postseason action. Today's training got a boost after the team started hearing about our ranking and everyone got even more excited."
Each day of preseason camp began with a different 7 a.m. fitness test. On Friday, the team ran 300-yard shuttles, a series of 50-yard sprints totaling 300 yards.
"We had nine girls pass the test this morning and the coaches and I feel like there is a group who has come in very prepared and another group that still has a lot of training work to do," Baker said. "But overall, the morning session was fantastic. It was arguably one of the best sessions we've had at Georgia in the last year and a half since I have been here."
The squad then gathered for breakfast at 8 a.m. and after a brief rest period, began its morning training session at 9:30 a.m. Topics covered in the morning session included services and making the final pass in the middle to final third of the field. The team then broke out for lunch at noon and then had a few hours of downtime for rest, recovery and treatment before the evening’s training.
After reassembling at the soccer complex at 5 p.m., the team played a 4v4 tournament to cap the day’s workouts.
"For the games at night, we lightheartedly divided up teams according to the girls clubs, home states or even the region where they are from and played for a championship," Baker said. "Ali Yoculan's team, which wore some gymnastics apparel and was named the Gym Dogs, were crowned champions and represented the gymnastics team that they resembled well."
The rest of the preseason schedule for the Bulldogs is as follows: Baker will give his squad the day off on Saturday before beginning two-a-day training sessions from Sunday, Aug. 13 through Tuesday, Aug. 15. The squad will then have Aug. 16 off for the first day of classes and will train at their normal in-season time of 3:30 on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 17-18. Saturday, Aug. 19 the team will hold a preseason exhibition against Clemson at 7 p.m. at the Turner Soccer Complex.
Tuesday, Aug. 22, begins regular 3:30 p.m. training before the team’s first regular-season game on Friday, Aug. 25, at 7 p.m., which is a home contest against Jacksonville.
