August 6, 2024 • 25 mins
Join Host Jada Mirabelle on the latest episode of the Glory Days Podcast as she welcomes the Captains and Coach of Bacon Academy's 2023 Class M Girls Soccer State Championship team! ⚽️
Head Coach Matt Rafala, along with Senior Captains Elizabeth Glover (Goaltender), Veronica Smith (Center Back), and Audrey Palmer (Striker), share their incredible journey to becoming CIAC Girls Soccer State Champions for the first time in their school’s history. Discover what drove them to success, hear their insights on teamwork and leadership, the games they’re eagerly anticipating this season, pre-game routines, and their thoughts on off-season training, and the new CIAC rule allowing high school coaches to coach their teams for two days a week, for two hours per session in the summer.
Plus, enjoy a fun and fast-paced Q&A with Bacon Academy’s champions. Don’t miss out on this behind-the-scenes look at their winning journey and inspiring stories! 🔥🎙️
Follow us on our social media pages:
Instagram - @ciacathletics
X - @ciacsports
Facebook - Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to CIAC's Glory Days podcast.
I'm your host, jada Maribel,and today I am joined with the
2023 Class M Girls Soccer StateChampions, bacon Academy.
I am joined with head coachMatt Raffala, who has been
leading the Bacon Academy girlssoccer team for three seasons
now.
Elizabeth Glover, who isall-conference goaltender, who
missed all but just three gamesthis past season while
recovering from ACL surgery, butluckily she was cleared just in
(00:22):
time to start playing againrecovering from ACL surgery, but
luckily she was cleared just intime to start playing again.
Senior captain, all-conferencecenter back, veronica Smith, who
scored two penalty kicks in thechampionship game to help earn
the first ever Bacon Academygirls soccer state title.
And senior captain two-timeall-state player, audrey Palmer,
who led the team in goals thesepast two seasons.
What a memorable season you allwere able to accomplish this
year, winning Bacon Academy'sfirst ever girls soccer state
(00:43):
championship title.
It was an easy road and mostdefinitely was not an easy
championship game.
The game went to doubleovertime where you ultimately
won 2-1, 11-10 in penalty kicksagainst number one seeded
Southfield High School.
Looking back at this pastseason, what do you think worked
best to help you earn the statechampionship?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
title.
I think just playing together,playing for each other, I think
that really is really what weall strive for.
Just playing for each other,not so much thinking about I
mean obviously thinking aboutthe result we want to win, but
more playing for each other.
Like the boys have a motto,it's side before self, and I
think that we make fun of it alot, but it's a good one as a
(01:22):
team.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
That's what it comes down to.
So, Coach, was there anythingthat you did differently this
season compared to the prior2022 season, where the team fell
just short in the CICsemifinals?
Was there any coaching strategythat helped you finally get the
first state championshipappearance?
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, I think after the year before we made the
semifinals and lost to Mercy,who was arguably the best team
in the state eventual statechampions I think the biggest
issues that we had were we justneeded to go out and play our
style.
We tried too much to mold ourstyle to fit what we thought
(01:56):
Mercy was going to be.
So as a coaching staff we kindof came to the decision that if
we were lucky enough to get theopportunity again, we were just
going to go in and play ourstyle.
Throughout the season we madesure we played two, three
different formations.
That way we could change it upand the girls would feel
comfortable.
But at the end of the day wedidn't want to change who we
were because we felt that wewere good enough to get there.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Well, yeah, it definitely worked.
So, besides sticking to yourown style, what other core
values do you try to instillwithin the girls soccer?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Yeah, I mean Liz touched on it a little bit with
the boys model side for self,but it's really just that team,
that family mentality.
When the season ends, you getthe to expand the rosters.
We had 27 girls in the programat the time and I've opened it
up to let anybody join thinkingthat they would come, they would
go.
My only requirement was thatthey be committed.
Whether it's a week, two weeksor three weeks, they come to
(02:52):
every practice, they come toevery game.
All 27 players came, and the JVplayers, the freshman players.
They came not expecting to play, so, based on what we were able
to create over the season, they, they came and at the end of
the day, they were beyondinstrumental, creating the
atmosphere, helping us withpenalty kicks, helping us with
the prep, helping us with gameplan.
But to have all 27 players jumpat the chance who've been three
(03:17):
months in, that's a big deal.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Yeah, wow, that's a great change to make.
Yeah, especially to haveeveryone involved.
So let's talk about thechampionship game First off.
It was freezing cold.
It was absolutely frigid.
I can't even explain how coldit was it was.
I can tell Right, you guys wereamped up.
Maybe you didn't feel it oryou're just numb, but it was so
cold you can't even compare itto anything.
But you guys still played hard,you held the line and you sent
it into double overtime whereyou ultimately won 11 to 10 in
(03:42):
pks, which I think it was a.
I believe it was around 15rounds of penalty kicks, which
is unheard of that's a lot rightyes so at audrey, you sadly got
hurt during the championshipgame and had to exit just one
minute before the first overtime.
But somehow you found thestrength, you came back in.
You scored a penalty kick onyour one good and uninjured leg.
So what was your mindset likein that moment?
(04:03):
What was the motivation to helppush you through?
Speaker 5 (04:05):
It was just definitely I didn't think I
would be able to like not takethe kick.
I didn't want to put thatpressure onto any one of our
many like capable players,because we've taken PKs
throughout the whole entireseason after practice.
So I knew I was ready.
I kind of knew what I like Idon't know.
It was just an adrenaline thing, an emotional time.
I was like I have to do this, Ihave to be the one to do it.
It's kind of like how we allhave practiced.
(04:27):
I was the first PK takerthroughout the whole season and
I just didn't want to mess upthe flow and I knew I could do
it and it worked out.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
It worked.
And, liz, the statechampionship was just nine
months after your ACL surgery,which caused you to miss the
majority of the season, andafter a stellar goaltending
performance in the championshipgame, you're able to score the
winning PK for your team.
And what a special moment thatwas to witness.
Knowing your story, you scoredthat winning PK and you almost
looked around like stunned andnot sure if that was the winning
goal.
I mean, I can imagine, so tellus a little bit about that
(04:58):
moment and what was racingthrough your mind.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
When I look back at all those videos I'm like how
was I still on my feet?
Speaker 3 (05:03):
How did I not fall?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
to my knees.
But I mean, in the moment Iwasn't really thinking like this
is it Like I have to make thisor everything is going like
crashing and burning.
I was just thinking like I wantto score, I want this for the
team, I want everybody to likebe able to celebrate each other
and realize that we are goodenough.
We did make it this far andwhen I scored I was kind of I
(05:26):
was like my God what.
I was like, yeah, pretty much.
And I mean I was looking aroundI felt like I couldn't see
anything and then Alyssa wasright in front of my face.
I was like, oh, but man, it'sjust like it was a big
adrenaline rush that whole game.
Like you said, it was freezingcold.
I could not tell you.
No, I was like stress, sweatingthe whole time.
(05:48):
So I mean scoring, that it feltgreat.
I mean, obviously, scoringfeels great, especially as a
goalie.
I never do that.
But, um, scoring and thenhearing the whole like crowd go
insane, seeing all my likefavorite people in the world
running at me, it was, it wasthe best.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
And you said, you guys practiced pks after every
normal practice.
Were you ever in the lineup?
Elizabeth, were you ever in thelineup?
Yeah, I'm 10th.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
That's where.
That's where matt says thestress is.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
So we uh actually credit to the boys team on this
one.
So we uh, we used them for thetwo weeks their season ended and
they had about 15 players thatstayed for the entire postseason
with us.
In every training they would gothrough phases of play.
If we wanted to press or buildon the backs, they were
opposition.
At the end of every practice wewent through the penalty kicks,
(06:35):
Just realistically.
I knew who the first five weregoing to be, and probably six
and seven, but had to figure outeight, nine until I got to Liz
at 10.
So we did that to kind of testit.
But the fun part, or fun for usat least was is, you had 15, 20
boys, you had the cross-countryteam, you had the random
students and, uh, we made themline up at midfield like a real
(06:57):
game and we made a tunnel of alltheir peers and kids and the
only rule was.
You need to be as loud andobnoxious as you could try to
create as much stress as youcould.
So every practice, two, threetimes we went through it and
they had to walk through thetunnel of.
At the end of the week kidswere coming just for the penalty
Just to come and yell at theplayers and and it made it an
(07:18):
interesting environment.
But yeah, replicating the walkthat's a long walk by yourself
and a lot of times you don'tknow but that was a big thing
and the voicing helped out a tonwith that one that's good
practice for those high pressuremoments.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Yeah because stuff field student section showed up.
They were loud, they did a lotof them.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
So, talking about those high pressure moments,
veronica, you helped score twopenalty kicks in the
championship game.
So besides that extra practicewith the tunnel of players, was
there anything else that youguys use any other type of
strategy to deal with thatdouble overtime and those
penalty kicks and that highpressure?
Speaker 4 (07:52):
I think it was mostly , like you said, like mentality.
I actually did miss mine in thesemifinals, so I think it was.
I think like the practicereally helped.
And then, even after it waslike okay, everyone's done,
taking a couple shots, like Lizand I would stay after a little
bit and I would keep taking thembecause I was like like I like
want to do this one for myself,but like also for my team, so
like I like can make sure I wasready for it.
(08:13):
So then, like when I was joggingup, sort of it was like I've
done this so many times.
I know what like my spot is.
Like I had like my whole teambeing like you got this, like
like, like like the whole, likebasically support behind me,
like it's like even if you domiss, like we're still here for
you was like amazing.
And then also it was like thewhole student section.
So I think it was really justlike the whole, like basically
staying positive and just likeconcentrated, like I knew where
(08:34):
I was going to go and it wasn'tlike overthinking it.
It was sort of just likestaying in that mindset of this
is where I'm going to go, likethis is like I've done this so
many times.
It's just like at this point,it's like let's just like do it.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
You just revert back to the drills and the practice
and the support always helps.
So, as the current reigningclass and champions, if you had
to share a piece of advice tofellow athletes and fellow
coaches, what would you say?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
start with you.
Okay, um, I would say, trustyour team and trust yourself and
be confident.
I think nobody in the entirestate expected us to win, except
for us, matt especially, andKrista Prates.
She, she had us getting ready.
She was like no, nobody like isgonna expect this, so do it
(09:20):
like we were the underdogs.
But that don't.
I don't think that ever reallymattered for us.
We just went on to go out thereand show everybody what we can
do and I think that was a reallybig part of our win just being
confident, being who we are youwere picked to be the first
round upstate of the tournament,so oh yeah, we were supposed to
lose every single round.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
Actually, that was printed um, I guess for the
piece of advice definitely,definitely, kind of, no matter
how much success we did have,definitely next year we need to
stay humble, go into any easygame.
No, it's just easy for usbecause we have many talented
players on our team where we'reused to just kind of cruising by
sometimes.
And I think we need todefinitely go into next season
not expecting any easy wins, nomatter who.
(10:01):
We think If we beat them itdoesn't matter.
I think we just need to go inand just try to like start, take
it game by game, because wedon't know if we'll get back
there again.
So just kind of take it game bygame, just work hard for it,
don't look too far ahead.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Yeah, I think it's like like every player matters
whether you're starting on thefield or you're not starting on
the field.
I think it's like basicallylike everyone has a certain role
, whether it's in the gameitself or it's in the practice.
So I think it's sort of likeAudrey said, like stay humble.
In that mindset, like even ifyou start a game, like that
doesn't promise you'll start thenext one.
Like you have to keep working,so one you improve yourself, but
then also, if you're doing yourbest, you can also improve
others and make them do theirbest.
(10:37):
So I think that's like one ofthe mindsets like basically
basically making sure everyone'sat their top.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Yeah, that's a great answer.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Yeah, and I mean just to kind of go off of what they
were saying.
I think the biggest thing thatwe've always talked about is
that next game, that next game.
You look at the conferencewe're in.
It's one of the most underratedconferences.
We're top to bottom.
It's loaded and the teams thatare supposed to be the easy
teams are tight games and thereare no blowouts.
If you look at our record, youknow we kind of make it a six
(11:05):
and a half wins.
You get to States.
It's not let's go 15 and 16 and0 or let's win this title or
that division, it's six and ahalf wins is the target.
And then get healthy at theright time and peak in the right
time, because it doesn't reallymatter what you do in September
, it's all about the end of theseason.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
It's very true.
So do any of you have?
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I wouldn't call it a routine, but we have, like our
like little things that we dobefore each game.
Like I always braid Veronica'shair, which if you ever come to
the JV basketball games, you'llsee me braiding the entire
varsity team's hair every game.
We're all just focused on eachother in the pregame.
(11:52):
We're always getting each otherhyped up and ready.
It's not, I would never say, aroutine.
We never do the same thingtwice but, um, we have each have
our little order and the linesand the passing lines and all
that.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Yeah it's a lot too superstitious, but just a little
bit a little, tiny bit for me,definitely on away games.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
I have more of a routine um on the longer bus
rides.
I do take a nap before.
Even if I have slept a full,like like 11 hours night before
I will sleep on the bus.
I will do my hair on the busafter the nap and then I have
usually an energy drink air podsin.
Yeah and then yeah that's kindof how I do it, even if it's a
home game, maybe minus the nap,because they're usually after
(12:31):
school minus the nap.
Yeah, it's like we always gooutside to our little like
picnic bench areas and that'skind of where we all talk, we
put our cleats on and that'skind of like my routine getting
ready for the game, we all talk,or even if we don't talk, it's
music and it's just kind of likegame mode.
So those are kind of myroutines for both home and away,
I mean mine is like always,like when it's an away games.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
We all have, like certain spots on the bus that we
sit every single time.
So I just think like that's sortof my superstition is like
everyone has to say wherethey're seated, yeah, um.
And then, sort of like audreysaid, like, um, everyone has
their spot in the line.
And then I also like during,sort of during warm-ups, before
the game starts, like I dobecause I'm like a defender, so
I do long balls with the otherdefenders while, like the
attackers shoot, so like Ialways stay on the certain side
(13:14):
of the field, like basically,like next to the bench, and then
like I'm doing long balls withmy partner, and then it's like
you do a couple, and then once Iget like a couple good ones in,
I might take a break, just likeI'm not overworking my foot.
But then, like, basically, whenMatt says, like okay, everyone
bring it in, like my partner,each and I have to do like a
good one, and then like we haveto keep going until we get that
(13:36):
good one, and then we can bringit in, yeah they're always quite
interesting to see how athletesdiffer with the routines,
because some are sosuperstitious as individual
athletes.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
What does training look like for you in the off
season?
Do you have certain teams youplay on, or what's it look like
we are actually talking?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
about this in the car right here.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
We don't have an off season off season, like because
they do, they do basketball.
But even then it's still.
We have an indoor season foroakwood.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
So it's like so we're like basketball, then go to
soccer like we don't really have, even in the summer, it's.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
It's not that, it's just we have our summer league
so yeah on our own year round.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Basically yeah we just so, we soccer so I mean not
many of us have an off seasonwhich or other sports.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
They do.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
So, yeah, very, and we're all very active I think
it's also like helps when you doa different sport, or like
you're like doing other thingsother than just like you do get
the break like yeahexactly but it's also like you
don't like think about soccer 247, like to the point where,
like, you can still like lovethe sport at the same time,
because you're, like not alwaysthinking about it yeah yeah so
how do you think this new ciacrule allowing teams to now
(14:37):
practice two days a week for twohours per session will help
benefit your team and otherteams heading into the upcoming
season, matt?
Speaker 2 (14:45):
I've heard you talk in a while, so for anyone that's
taking over a program.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
It's huge, it's massive.
You can instill yourfoundations, your culture, how
you want to play, how you seeyour team.
Um, it's a great opportunityfor any coach doing that, for a
coach that's coming into aprogram like we have, where we
didn't.
We have a lot of returningplayers.
Um, it's a great time for us totry new things right, so we can
(15:11):
train together, we can work onlittle things that we don't have
time to do later on, and itgets a lot of stuff out of the
way we can play with formations.
Maybe we want to change that.
Maybe we want to change the waywe play a little bit here and
there.
So it was definitely a shockthat that got passed and that
did happen, but as a coach I wasexcited about that it's a good
(15:32):
time for the team to practiceand mesh together and try new
things, yeah, and especially theincoming freshmen.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
It's nice like family bonding.
Yeah, you get to know them alittle bit, see their strengths.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Plus they go into high school and they know 25
friends.
Yeah, it's a good social thingfor a lot of the incoming
freshmen.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
So those freshmen see us in the hallway.
They're like no, they know you.
Yes, right.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
So who do you think will be your toughest matchup
this season?
Speaker 5 (15:54):
I think for us, no matter any in season or out
season game, we play in a very,like matt said, very strong
conference, so I don't reallythink there will like for any
games looking forward to us.
I kind of think we have achance at any of like I don't
know.
Yeah, yeah, a tough seasonahead of us, so I think we can
look forward to any of thembecause they're going to be good
games, no matter what.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Exactly.
There's no one game that's onour calendar that we have like
circled and like we're not.
Yeah, we're going to take itgame by game, yeah game by game.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Basically it's like not like being like she said,
like not having a circle team,but basically like everyone is
like everyone is a challenge,everyone is like having that
mindset like no one is like aneasy team we can be like we're
looking forward to all of themyeah, you have to figure, yeah,
I was gonna say you're gonna getthe best from a lot of these
teams.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
There's no sneaking up on teams anymore, right teams
, no, teams know who you are.
Teams know who your players areteams have heard of bacon
academy now even maybe you know,so that, that there's no
sneaking up and not that youwould ever sneak up on anyone in
the ecc, but when you do playthe non-conference game,
sometimes you get overlooked umthere won't be anyone
overlooking you this year, soit'll be.
You'll get the best from everyteam, which will be exciting to
(16:56):
see what games are you mostlooking forward to this season
and why?
we do have rivalry games thathave deep-rooted rivalries, a
lot of these.
The ecc is so tight together,location wise, that these kids
play each other in travel, theyplay each other in rec, they
play each other in premiere andon top of, they play with each
other, not just against eachother.
So there's a lot of friendshipsthere.
(17:17):
Um, there's environments thatare extraordinarily fun to go
play in because of theatmosphere, um, you know.
So the obvious ones that wecome out to mind is you know,
anytime you get to playwaterford away, it's's a fun
game.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
It's exciting for both teams.
It's a rivalry game.
It's a stressful game.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
It's a heated game for fans.
It's a fun time PlayingStonington under the lights is
one of the hardest places toplay, just the massive stadium.
It's sunken in down low.
Yeah, East Lyme the same wayand they really do protect,
taking the pitcher with the bear.
At the end it's very hard toget that result there.
And then Eastline's a team thatwe haven't beaten in a very
(17:58):
long time.
They play a completelydifferent style.
They play on a field that'smassive, and those are three
very different ones.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Well, yeah, good mashups to look forward to.
And, captains, how will youlead the team this season?
What will you be implementingfrom last season to this season?
Will you be changing anythingor trying to improve upon
anything?
Speaker 5 (18:19):
um, I'll start.
I don't think we're going totry to necessarily change
anything for our upcoming season.
We obviously had, we've had,very successful seasons prior to
the next one, and I think we'rekind of have we've had great
captains that have helped usbecome the leaders of our team
now, and I think we're going todefinitely take some of their
qualities and just we alwayswant to be the role models.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
So, no, we won't be barking orders at our players,
but we one of us leads byexample and if someone else sees
that, then it helps us kind ofjust lead the team, lead the
team by example, and that's kindof what we're going to try to
do, I bet I think it's alsoreally helpful that we all play
different positions, so likeit's like leading different
parts of the team, so likedefense and then goal, like you
can see everything likebasically in the offense, of
(19:01):
course, like I think it's reallyhelpful that we can like
basically like give instructions, like and lead different parts
of the team and like what weknow like to ourselves, so it's
not like I'm like telling, oh,the offense, like oh, go, do
this.
When like like I can tell thedefense and like what we know to
like do ourselves.
So it's not like I'm liketelling oh the offense, like oh,
go do this, when like like Ican tell the defense and like I
know I can trust Audrey to tellthe offense what like I might be
thinking.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
Yeah we can talk to it and it also helps that, like
we all do play differentpositions, like you said, so
when it's just us three and wenotice something, we can all
share a different perspective.
Liz sees something I don't see.
I my back turned half the time.
Like it's Veronica sees whatI'm maybe.
Oh, we need our forwards, tomove more.
And she tells me that and likeI can relate a message and it's
just a good like kind ofchemistry between us that will
(19:40):
help.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Yeah, especially, we've been playing together for
14 years oh, forever, a longtime time.
So, yeah, like we, we'reusually all on the same page.
Like Audrey said, we all havegreat chemistry, so we're always
like.
We're like.
None of us are scared oftalking to each other, like
making, like correctingsomething or being together.
We all I think we all just wantto like play for each other and
(20:04):
do the best for each other, andthat's how we're going to lead
this team it makes it so mucheasier that you have that bond
to help lead the team.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Yes, and if you were to choose one team motto heading
into this next season, whatwould it be?
I know you mentioned the boys'soccer team has one, but what
would yours be?
Speaker 2 (20:20):
We were talking about this in the car.
We have no idea.
We don't have one yet that I'maware of.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
As coaches, we've thrown a few around that
nothing's really stuck and feltright.
I mean, I think it kind ofcomes out organically.
I think within the season, onceit gets going.
This is a new position foreveryone.
Defending is something thatnever happened in soccer in the
big academy.
It's just you're going to seethe best from everybody and
(20:46):
we're looking forward to that.
So, if anything, just one gameat a time.
You can't look to the end ofNovember.
It's got to be the game infront of you, and there's no
guarantees you get, anywhere,you gotta earn it.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Yeah, last season, for sure, our motto was like
we're the underdogs, like whynot us yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:03):
we can't exactly say that this year yeah, we'll see
what you guys come up withthroughout the season, but, um,
now we're gonna head into somerapid questions.
So these are a surprise.
You don't know of these yet.
They're gonna come much fast,so you gotta be ready.
Okay, ready.
What is favorite professionalsoccer player?
Speaker 2 (21:20):
oh, um hope.
Solo she doesn't play anymore,bronica favorite pre-game hype
song.
Before he cheats, that's ourbus song Every single bus ride.
That is what we play.
Speaker 5 (21:39):
I answered your question, I'm sorry, okay,
audrey.
Favorite move to use 1v1against a defender.
I like a good elastico outfit,go in and out with my right foot
, type of thing.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Coach favorite field to play at.
Oh bacon pit all right whiz,grass or turf.
Uh, turf, veronica, favoritesports memory um, I mean, if it
wasn't winning that's a good onecan't't really beat that Audrey
(22:11):
favorite jersey number TenCoach games in the rain or games
in the freezing cold.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Oh, they're both miserable.
As a former goalie, I'll gofreezing cold because rain's the
worst.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Audrey, assist circles.
Ooh, I like goals.
What is the best piece ofadvice you've ever received?
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Oh, I'd say like from Krista, from Matt, from my dad,
like you can do it, so why not?
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Veronica favorite pregame or postgame meal.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
I mean it's either pasta before the game or like
after the game, like I don'tknow, like going out for pizza
or something.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
All right coach.
Favorite soccer team az milanall day okay, we're gonna end
these rapid questions with avery tough one, so answer
carefully.
All right, ronaldo or messyronaldo?
Speaker 3 (23:06):
not even a question, I think messy, yeah that.
Speaker 5 (23:09):
It's a highly debated one, I know Very highly debated
.
I'll stand by it.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Lastly, on the Glory Days podcast, we always like to
wrap up by asking our guestswhat do you think the purpose of
high school sports is?
So, coach, I'll start with you.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
That's a great question.
High school sports provides anamazing social outlet for
players to be able to kind ofrelieve stresses from out the
day.
High school is tough.
High school is a lot of thingsthat you just forget about how
tough it is and it lets you kindof just take a break from it.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
take a break from the pressures of homework, take a
break from the pressures ofanything else you're dealing
with and just go be a kid andhave some fun and enjoyment I
agree out high school sports, Ithink, has always created like
such a great like family for me,such a great community I mean
my family's the best, but it'slike a home away from home for
me.
All the whole soccer team, likeI love them all.
(24:05):
We've like the seniors, we'veall played together for like 14
years, like forever and um,every new like class that comes
in, we always just like takethem under our wing, we just we
want to get to know them, wewant to be friends with them
before we're teammates with them, because I think it's really
important to have that teamchemistry, um, and I think
that's like one of my favoritethings about playing sports in
(24:26):
high school is just having allthese girls that I know have my
back.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
It's sort of of like your like chosen family, so like
in the school, like you canalways have a person to go to to
talk to, like if you're likegoing through something.
And I think it's also reallyhelpful for um, like for your
future, sort of like we, likeshe said, we've been playing
forever, so like I know like Lizand I, audrey and I will be
friends for like almost foreverbasically.
So I think it's really likeimportant just to like have like
(24:49):
those close friends thatbasically become your family
within the school and then likefor your like future, just like
friends you've had forever.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Audrey, what do you think the purpose of high school
sports is?
Speaker 5 (24:58):
I don't know as someone who does do club sports
year round.
I think it just gives anyonewho else does that a great kind
of break from the pressure.
Because club sports is known,it's just a very intense.
You're there to do excellent,like it's just a very high
pressure environment which weall love and thrive on.
So we're used to that.
We love it, but also sometimesyou get too caught up in it and
you do need the break of just.
You have your best friends fromyour town, you have everyone
(25:21):
you're with.
It's just a whole differentkind of new environment.
Like you get to meet thefreshmen.
It's like great community.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Thank you so much to Coach Raffala, audrey Palmer,
elizabeth Glover and VeronicaSmith for joining me on CIAC's
Glory Days podcast.
I wish you all the best of luckin this upcoming season and I
hope you're able to come outwith another class and state
championship title.
Welcome to CIAC's Glory Days podcast.
I'm your host, jada Maribel,and today I am joined with the
2023 Class M Girls Soccer StateChampions, bacon Academy.
I am joined with head coachMatt Raffala, who has been
leading the Bacon Academy girlssoccer team for three seasons
now.
Elizabeth Glover, who isall-conference goaltender, who
missed all but just three gamesthis past season while
recovering from ACL surgery, butluckily she was cleared just in
(00:22):
time to start playing againrecovering from ACL surgery, but
luckily she was cleared just intime to start playing again.
Senior captain, all-conferencecenter back, veronica Smith, who
scored two penalty kicks in thechampionship game to help earn
the first ever Bacon Academygirls soccer state title.
And senior captain two-timeall-state player, audrey Palmer,
who led the team in goals thesepast two seasons.
What a memorable season you allwere able to accomplish this
year, winning Bacon Academy'sfirst ever girls soccer state
(00:43):
championship title.
It was an easy road and mostdefinitely was not an easy
championship game.
The game went to doubleovertime where you ultimately
won 2-1, 11-10 in penalty kicksagainst number one seeded
Southfield High School.
Looking back at this pastseason, what do you think worked
best to help you earn the statechampionship?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
title.
I think just playing together,playing for each other, I think
that really is really what weall strive for.
Just playing for each other,not so much thinking about I
mean obviously thinking aboutthe result we want to win, but
more playing for each other.
Like the boys have a motto,it's side before self, and I
think that we make fun of it alot, but it's a good one as a
(01:22):
team.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
That's what it comes down to.
So, Coach, was there anythingthat you did differently this
season compared to the prior2022 season, where the team fell
just short in the CICsemifinals?
Was there any coaching strategythat helped you finally get the
first state championshipappearance?
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, I think after the year before we made the
semifinals and lost to Mercy,who was arguably the best team
in the state eventual statechampions I think the biggest
issues that we had were we justneeded to go out and play our
style.
We tried too much to mold ourstyle to fit what we thought
(01:56):
Mercy was going to be.
So as a coaching staff we kindof came to the decision that if
we were lucky enough to get theopportunity again, we were just
going to go in and play ourstyle.
Throughout the season we madesure we played two, three
different formations.
That way we could change it upand the girls would feel
comfortable.
But at the end of the day wedidn't want to change who we
were because we felt that wewere good enough to get there.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Well, yeah, it definitely worked.
So, besides sticking to yourown style, what other core
values do you try to instillwithin the girls soccer?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Yeah, I mean Liz touched on it a little bit with
the boys model side for self,but it's really just that team,
that family mentality.
When the season ends, you getthe to expand the rosters.
We had 27 girls in the programat the time and I've opened it
up to let anybody join thinkingthat they would come, they would
go.
My only requirement was thatthey be committed.
Whether it's a week, two weeksor three weeks, they come to
(02:52):
every practice, they come toevery game.
All 27 players came, and the JVplayers, the freshman players.
They came not expecting to play, so, based on what we were able
to create over the season, they, they came and at the end of
the day, they were beyondinstrumental, creating the
atmosphere, helping us withpenalty kicks, helping us with
the prep, helping us with gameplan.
But to have all 27 players jumpat the chance who've been three
(03:17):
months in, that's a big deal.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Yeah, wow, that's a great change to make.
Yeah, especially to haveeveryone involved.
So let's talk about thechampionship game First off.
It was freezing cold.
It was absolutely frigid.
I can't even explain how coldit was it was.
I can tell Right, you guys wereamped up.
Maybe you didn't feel it oryou're just numb, but it was so
cold you can't even compare itto anything.
But you guys still played hard,you held the line and you sent
it into double overtime whereyou ultimately won 11 to 10 in
(03:42):
pks, which I think it was a.
I believe it was around 15rounds of penalty kicks, which
is unheard of that's a lot rightyes so at audrey, you sadly got
hurt during the championshipgame and had to exit just one
minute before the first overtime.
But somehow you found thestrength, you came back in.
You scored a penalty kick onyour one good and uninjured leg.
So what was your mindset likein that moment?
(04:03):
What was the motivation to helppush you through?
Speaker 5 (04:05):
It was just definitely I didn't think I
would be able to like not takethe kick.
I didn't want to put thatpressure onto any one of our
many like capable players,because we've taken PKs
throughout the whole entireseason after practice.
So I knew I was ready.
I kind of knew what I like Idon't know.
It was just an adrenaline thing, an emotional time.
I was like I have to do this, Ihave to be the one to do it.
It's kind of like how we allhave practiced.
(04:27):
I was the first PK takerthroughout the whole season and
I just didn't want to mess upthe flow and I knew I could do
it and it worked out.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
It worked.
And, liz, the statechampionship was just nine
months after your ACL surgery,which caused you to miss the
majority of the season, andafter a stellar goaltending
performance in the championshipgame, you're able to score the
winning PK for your team.
And what a special moment thatwas to witness.
Knowing your story, you scoredthat winning PK and you almost
looked around like stunned andnot sure if that was the winning
goal.
I mean, I can imagine, so tellus a little bit about that
(04:58):
moment and what was racingthrough your mind.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
When I look back at all those videos I'm like how
was I still on my feet?
Speaker 3 (05:03):
How did I not fall?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
to my knees.
But I mean, in the moment Iwasn't really thinking like this
is it Like I have to make thisor everything is going like
crashing and burning.
I was just thinking like I wantto score, I want this for the
team, I want everybody to likebe able to celebrate each other
and realize that we are goodenough.
We did make it this far andwhen I scored I was kind of I
(05:26):
was like my God what.
I was like, yeah, pretty much.
And I mean I was looking aroundI felt like I couldn't see
anything and then Alyssa wasright in front of my face.
I was like, oh, but man, it'sjust like it was a big
adrenaline rush that whole game.
Like you said, it was freezingcold.
I could not tell you.
No, I was like stress, sweatingthe whole time.
(05:48):
So I mean scoring, that it feltgreat.
I mean, obviously, scoringfeels great, especially as a
goalie.
I never do that.
But, um, scoring and thenhearing the whole like crowd go
insane, seeing all my likefavorite people in the world
running at me, it was, it wasthe best.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
And you said, you guys practiced pks after every
normal practice.
Were you ever in the lineup?
Elizabeth, were you ever in thelineup?
Yeah, I'm 10th.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
That's where.
That's where matt says thestress is.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
So we uh actually credit to the boys team on this
one.
So we uh, we used them for thetwo weeks their season ended and
they had about 15 players thatstayed for the entire postseason
with us.
In every training they would gothrough phases of play.
If we wanted to press or buildon the backs, they were
opposition.
At the end of every practice wewent through the penalty kicks,
(06:35):
Just realistically.
I knew who the first five weregoing to be, and probably six
and seven, but had to figure outeight, nine until I got to Liz
at 10.
So we did that to kind of testit.
But the fun part, or fun for usat least was is, you had 15, 20
boys, you had the cross-countryteam, you had the random
students and, uh, we made themline up at midfield like a real
(06:57):
game and we made a tunnel of alltheir peers and kids and the
only rule was.
You need to be as loud andobnoxious as you could try to
create as much stress as youcould.
So every practice, two, threetimes we went through it and
they had to walk through thetunnel of.
At the end of the week kidswere coming just for the penalty
Just to come and yell at theplayers and and it made it an
(07:18):
interesting environment.
But yeah, replicating the walkthat's a long walk by yourself
and a lot of times you don'tknow but that was a big thing
and the voicing helped out a tonwith that one that's good
practice for those high pressuremoments.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Yeah because stuff field student section showed up.
They were loud, they did a lotof them.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
So, talking about those high pressure moments,
veronica, you helped score twopenalty kicks in the
championship game.
So besides that extra practicewith the tunnel of players, was
there anything else that youguys use any other type of
strategy to deal with thatdouble overtime and those
penalty kicks and that highpressure?
Speaker 4 (07:52):
I think it was mostly , like you said, like mentality.
I actually did miss mine in thesemifinals, so I think it was.
I think like the practicereally helped.
And then, even after it waslike okay, everyone's done,
taking a couple shots, like Lizand I would stay after a little
bit and I would keep taking thembecause I was like like I like
want to do this one for myself,but like also for my team, so
like I like can make sure I wasready for it.
(08:13):
So then, like when I was joggingup, sort of it was like I've
done this so many times.
I know what like my spot is.
Like I had like my whole teambeing like you got this, like
like, like like the whole, likebasically support behind me,
like it's like even if you domiss, like we're still here for
you was like amazing.
And then also it was like thewhole student section.
So I think it was really justlike the whole, like basically
staying positive and just likeconcentrated, like I knew where
(08:34):
I was going to go and it wasn'tlike overthinking it.
It was sort of just likestaying in that mindset of this
is where I'm going to go, likethis is like I've done this so
many times.
It's just like at this point,it's like let's just like do it.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
You just revert back to the drills and the practice
and the support always helps.
So, as the current reigningclass and champions, if you had
to share a piece of advice tofellow athletes and fellow
coaches, what would you say?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
start with you.
Okay, um, I would say, trustyour team and trust yourself and
be confident.
I think nobody in the entirestate expected us to win, except
for us, matt especially, andKrista Prates.
She, she had us getting ready.
She was like no, nobody like isgonna expect this, so do it
(09:20):
like we were the underdogs.
But that don't.
I don't think that ever reallymattered for us.
We just went on to go out thereand show everybody what we can
do and I think that was a reallybig part of our win just being
confident, being who we are youwere picked to be the first
round upstate of the tournament,so oh yeah, we were supposed to
lose every single round.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
Actually, that was printed um, I guess for the
piece of advice definitely,definitely, kind of, no matter
how much success we did have,definitely next year we need to
stay humble, go into any easygame.
No, it's just easy for usbecause we have many talented
players on our team where we'reused to just kind of cruising by
sometimes.
And I think we need todefinitely go into next season
not expecting any easy wins, nomatter who.
(10:01):
We think If we beat them itdoesn't matter.
I think we just need to go inand just try to like start, take
it game by game, because wedon't know if we'll get back
there again.
So just kind of take it game bygame, just work hard for it,
don't look too far ahead.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Yeah, I think it's like like every player matters
whether you're starting on thefield or you're not starting on
the field.
I think it's like basicallylike everyone has a certain role
, whether it's in the gameitself or it's in the practice.
So I think it's sort of likeAudrey said, like stay humble.
In that mindset, like even ifyou start a game, like that
doesn't promise you'll start thenext one.
Like you have to keep working,so one you improve yourself, but
then also, if you're doing yourbest, you can also improve
others and make them do theirbest.
(10:37):
So I think that's like one ofthe mindsets like basically
basically making sure everyone'sat their top.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Yeah, that's a great answer.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Yeah, and I mean just to kind of go off of what they
were saying.
I think the biggest thing thatwe've always talked about is
that next game, that next game.
You look at the conferencewe're in.
It's one of the most underratedconferences.
We're top to bottom.
It's loaded and the teams thatare supposed to be the easy
teams are tight games and thereare no blowouts.
If you look at our record, youknow we kind of make it a six
(11:05):
and a half wins.
You get to States.
It's not let's go 15 and 16 and0 or let's win this title or
that division, it's six and ahalf wins is the target.
And then get healthy at theright time and peak in the right
time, because it doesn't reallymatter what you do in September
, it's all about the end of theseason.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
It's very true.
So do any of you have?
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I wouldn't call it a routine, but we have, like our
like little things that we dobefore each game.
Like I always braid Veronica'shair, which if you ever come to
the JV basketball games, you'llsee me braiding the entire
varsity team's hair every game.
We're all just focused on eachother in the pregame.
(11:52):
We're always getting each otherhyped up and ready.
It's not, I would never say, aroutine.
We never do the same thingtwice but, um, we have each have
our little order and the linesand the passing lines and all
that.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Yeah it's a lot too superstitious, but just a little
bit a little, tiny bit for me,definitely on away games.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
I have more of a routine um on the longer bus
rides.
I do take a nap before.
Even if I have slept a full,like like 11 hours night before
I will sleep on the bus.
I will do my hair on the busafter the nap and then I have
usually an energy drink air podsin.
Yeah and then yeah that's kindof how I do it, even if it's a
home game, maybe minus the nap,because they're usually after
(12:31):
school minus the nap.
Yeah, it's like we always gooutside to our little like
picnic bench areas and that'skind of where we all talk, we
put our cleats on and that'skind of like my routine getting
ready for the game, we all talk,or even if we don't talk, it's
music and it's just kind of likegame mode.
So those are kind of myroutines for both home and away,
I mean mine is like always,like when it's an away games.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
We all have, like certain spots on the bus that we
sit every single time.
So I just think like that's sortof my superstition is like
everyone has to say wherethey're seated, yeah, um.
And then, sort of like audreysaid, like, um, everyone has
their spot in the line.
And then I also like during,sort of during warm-ups, before
the game starts, like I dobecause I'm like a defender, so
I do long balls with the otherdefenders while, like the
attackers shoot, so like Ialways stay on the certain side
(13:14):
of the field, like basically,like next to the bench, and then
like I'm doing long balls withmy partner, and then it's like
you do a couple, and then once Iget like a couple good ones in,
I might take a break, just likeI'm not overworking my foot.
But then, like, basically, whenMatt says, like okay, everyone
bring it in, like my partner,each and I have to do like a
good one, and then like we haveto keep going until we get that
(13:36):
good one, and then we can bringit in, yeah they're always quite
interesting to see how athletesdiffer with the routines,
because some are sosuperstitious as individual
athletes.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
What does training look like for you in the off
season?
Do you have certain teams youplay on, or what's it look like
we are actually talking?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
about this in the car right here.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
We don't have an off season off season, like because
they do, they do basketball.
But even then it's still.
We have an indoor season foroakwood.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
So it's like so we're like basketball, then go to
soccer like we don't really have, even in the summer, it's.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
It's not that, it's just we have our summer league
so yeah on our own year round.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Basically yeah we just so, we soccer so I mean not
many of us have an off seasonwhich or other sports.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
They do.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
So, yeah, very, and we're all very active I think
it's also like helps when you doa different sport, or like
you're like doing other thingsother than just like you do get
the break like yeahexactly but it's also like you
don't like think about soccer 247, like to the point where,
like, you can still like lovethe sport at the same time,
because you're, like not alwaysthinking about it yeah yeah so
how do you think this new ciacrule allowing teams to now
(14:37):
practice two days a week for twohours per session will help
benefit your team and otherteams heading into the upcoming
season, matt?
Speaker 2 (14:45):
I've heard you talk in a while, so for anyone that's
taking over a program.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
It's huge, it's massive.
You can instill yourfoundations, your culture, how
you want to play, how you seeyour team.
Um, it's a great opportunityfor any coach doing that, for a
coach that's coming into aprogram like we have, where we
didn't.
We have a lot of returningplayers.
Um, it's a great time for us totry new things right, so we can
(15:11):
train together, we can work onlittle things that we don't have
time to do later on, and itgets a lot of stuff out of the
way we can play with formations.
Maybe we want to change that.
Maybe we want to change the waywe play a little bit here and
there.
So it was definitely a shockthat that got passed and that
did happen, but as a coach I wasexcited about that it's a good
(15:32):
time for the team to practiceand mesh together and try new
things, yeah, and especially theincoming freshmen.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
It's nice like family bonding.
Yeah, you get to know them alittle bit, see their strengths.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Plus they go into high school and they know 25
friends.
Yeah, it's a good social thingfor a lot of the incoming
freshmen.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
So those freshmen see us in the hallway.
They're like no, they know you.
Yes, right.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
So who do you think will be your toughest matchup
this season?
Speaker 5 (15:54):
I think for us, no matter any in season or out
season game, we play in a very,like matt said, very strong
conference, so I don't reallythink there will like for any
games looking forward to us.
I kind of think we have achance at any of like I don't
know.
Yeah, yeah, a tough seasonahead of us, so I think we can
look forward to any of thembecause they're going to be good
games, no matter what.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Exactly.
There's no one game that's onour calendar that we have like
circled and like we're not.
Yeah, we're going to take itgame by game, yeah game by game.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Basically it's like not like being like she said,
like not having a circle team,but basically like everyone is
like everyone is a challenge,everyone is like having that
mindset like no one is like aneasy team we can be like we're
looking forward to all of themyeah, you have to figure, yeah,
I was gonna say you're gonna getthe best from a lot of these
teams.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
There's no sneaking up on teams anymore, right teams
, no, teams know who you are.
Teams know who your players areteams have heard of bacon
academy now even maybe you know,so that, that there's no
sneaking up and not that youwould ever sneak up on anyone in
the ecc, but when you do playthe non-conference game,
sometimes you get overlooked umthere won't be anyone
overlooking you this year, soit'll be.
You'll get the best from everyteam, which will be exciting to
(16:56):
see what games are you mostlooking forward to this season
and why?
we do have rivalry games thathave deep-rooted rivalries, a
lot of these.
The ecc is so tight together,location wise, that these kids
play each other in travel, theyplay each other in rec, they
play each other in premiere andon top of, they play with each
other, not just against eachother.
So there's a lot of friendshipsthere.
(17:17):
Um, there's environments thatare extraordinarily fun to go
play in because of theatmosphere, um, you know.
So the obvious ones that wecome out to mind is you know,
anytime you get to playwaterford away, it's's a fun
game.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
It's exciting for both teams.
It's a rivalry game.
It's a stressful game.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
It's a heated game for fans.
It's a fun time PlayingStonington under the lights is
one of the hardest places toplay, just the massive stadium.
It's sunken in down low.
Yeah, East Lyme the same wayand they really do protect,
taking the pitcher with the bear.
At the end it's very hard toget that result there.
And then Eastline's a team thatwe haven't beaten in a very
(17:58):
long time.
They play a completelydifferent style.
They play on a field that'smassive, and those are three
very different ones.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Well, yeah, good mashups to look forward to.
And, captains, how will youlead the team this season?
What will you be implementingfrom last season to this season?
Will you be changing anythingor trying to improve upon
anything?
Speaker 5 (18:19):
um, I'll start.
I don't think we're going totry to necessarily change
anything for our upcoming season.
We obviously had, we've had,very successful seasons prior to
the next one, and I think we'rekind of have we've had great
captains that have helped usbecome the leaders of our team
now, and I think we're going todefinitely take some of their
qualities and just we alwayswant to be the role models.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
So, no, we won't be barking orders at our players,
but we one of us leads byexample and if someone else sees
that, then it helps us kind ofjust lead the team, lead the
team by example, and that's kindof what we're going to try to
do, I bet I think it's alsoreally helpful that we all play
different positions, so likeit's like leading different
parts of the team, so likedefense and then goal, like you
can see everything likebasically in the offense, of
(19:01):
course, like I think it's reallyhelpful that we can like
basically like give instructions, like and lead different parts
of the team and like what weknow like to ourselves, so it's
not like I'm like telling, oh,the offense, like oh, go, do
this.
When like like I can tell thedefense and like what we know to
like do ourselves.
So it's not like I'm liketelling oh the offense, like oh,
go do this, when like like Ican tell the defense and like I
know I can trust Audrey to tellthe offense what like I might be
thinking.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
Yeah we can talk to it and it also helps that, like
we all do play differentpositions, like you said, so
when it's just us three and wenotice something, we can all
share a different perspective.
Liz sees something I don't see.
I my back turned half the time.
Like it's Veronica sees whatI'm maybe.
Oh, we need our forwards, tomove more.
And she tells me that and likeI can relate a message and it's
just a good like kind ofchemistry between us that will
(19:40):
help.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Yeah, especially, we've been playing together for
14 years oh, forever, a longtime time.
So, yeah, like we, we'reusually all on the same page.
Like Audrey said, we all havegreat chemistry, so we're always
like.
We're like.
None of us are scared oftalking to each other, like
making, like correctingsomething or being together.
We all I think we all just wantto like play for each other and
(20:04):
do the best for each other, andthat's how we're going to lead
this team it makes it so mucheasier that you have that bond
to help lead the team.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Yes, and if you were to choose one team motto heading
into this next season, whatwould it be?
I know you mentioned the boys'soccer team has one, but what
would yours be?
Speaker 2 (20:20):
We were talking about this in the car.
We have no idea.
We don't have one yet that I'maware of.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
As coaches, we've thrown a few around that
nothing's really stuck and feltright.
I mean, I think it kind ofcomes out organically.
I think within the season, onceit gets going.
This is a new position foreveryone.
Defending is something thatnever happened in soccer in the
big academy.
It's just you're going to seethe best from everybody and
(20:46):
we're looking forward to that.
So, if anything, just one gameat a time.
You can't look to the end ofNovember.
It's got to be the game infront of you, and there's no
guarantees you get, anywhere,you gotta earn it.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Yeah, last season, for sure, our motto was like
we're the underdogs, like whynot us yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:03):
we can't exactly say that this year yeah, we'll see
what you guys come up withthroughout the season, but, um,
now we're gonna head into somerapid questions.
So these are a surprise.
You don't know of these yet.
They're gonna come much fast,so you gotta be ready.
Okay, ready.
What is favorite professionalsoccer player?
Speaker 2 (21:20):
oh, um hope.
Solo she doesn't play anymore,bronica favorite pre-game hype
song.
Before he cheats, that's ourbus song Every single bus ride.
That is what we play.
Speaker 5 (21:39):
I answered your question, I'm sorry, okay,
audrey.
Favorite move to use 1v1against a defender.
I like a good elastico outfit,go in and out with my right foot
, type of thing.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Coach favorite field to play at.
Oh bacon pit all right whiz,grass or turf.
Uh, turf, veronica, favoritesports memory um, I mean, if it
wasn't winning that's a good onecan't't really beat that Audrey
(22:11):
favorite jersey number TenCoach games in the rain or games
in the freezing cold.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Oh, they're both miserable.
As a former goalie, I'll gofreezing cold because rain's the
worst.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Audrey, assist circles.
Ooh, I like goals.
What is the best piece ofadvice you've ever received?
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Oh, I'd say like from Krista, from Matt, from my dad,
like you can do it, so why not?
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Veronica favorite pregame or postgame meal.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
I mean it's either pasta before the game or like
after the game, like I don'tknow, like going out for pizza
or something.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
All right coach.
Favorite soccer team az milanall day okay, we're gonna end
these rapid questions with avery tough one, so answer
carefully.
All right, ronaldo or messyronaldo?
Speaker 3 (23:06):
not even a question, I think messy, yeah that.
Speaker 5 (23:09):
It's a highly debated one, I know Very highly debated
.
I'll stand by it.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Lastly, on the Glory Days podcast, we always like to
wrap up by asking our guestswhat do you think the purpose of
high school sports is?
So, coach, I'll start with you.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
That's a great question.
High school sports provides anamazing social outlet for
players to be able to kind ofrelieve stresses from out the
day.
High school is tough.
High school is a lot of thingsthat you just forget about how
tough it is and it lets you kindof just take a break from it.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
take a break from the pressures of homework, take a
break from the pressures ofanything else you're dealing
with and just go be a kid andhave some fun and enjoyment I
agree out high school sports, Ithink, has always created like
such a great like family for me,such a great community I mean
my family's the best, but it'slike a home away from home for
me.
All the whole soccer team, likeI love them all.
(24:05):
We've like the seniors, we'veall played together for like 14
years, like forever and um,every new like class that comes
in, we always just like takethem under our wing, we just we
want to get to know them, wewant to be friends with them
before we're teammates with them, because I think it's really
important to have that teamchemistry, um, and I think
that's like one of my favoritethings about playing sports in
(24:26):
high school is just having allthese girls that I know have my
back.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
It's sort of of like your like chosen family, so like
in the school, like you canalways have a person to go to to
talk to, like if you're likegoing through something.
And I think it's also reallyhelpful for um, like for your
future, sort of like we, likeshe said, we've been playing
forever, so like I know like Lizand I, audrey and I will be
friends for like almost foreverbasically.
So I think it's really likeimportant just to like have like
(24:49):
those close friends thatbasically become your family
within the school and then likefor your like future, just like
friends you've had forever.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Audrey, what do you think the purpose of high school
sports is?
Speaker 5 (24:58):
I don't know as someone who does do club sports
year round.
I think it just gives anyonewho else does that a great kind
of break from the pressure.
Because club sports is known,it's just a very intense.
You're there to do excellent,like it's just a very high
pressure environment which weall love and thrive on.
So we're used to that.
We love it, but also sometimesyou get too caught up in it and
you do need the break of just.
You have your best friends fromyour town, you have everyone
(25:21):
you're with.
It's just a whole differentkind of new environment.
Like you get to meet thefreshmen.
It's like great community.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Thank you so much to Coach Raffala, audrey Palmer,
elizabeth Glover and VeronicaSmith for joining me on CIAC's
Glory Days podcast.
I wish you all the best of luckin this upcoming season and I
hope you're able to come outwith another class and state
championship title.
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