Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
The Blacksburg High School girls soccer team is headed south to finally play their first game of the season.
The weather has put a damper on their schedule so far, but this weekend they will be playing a game at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, with temperatures in the upper 70s.
Coach Travis Eschenmann said that the change in scenery will be good for he and the team. He said the Disney trip is something he had been thinking about for almost six years. The Bruins were able to make a similar trip in 2016, and the team had a great time training at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (right next to the Atlanta Braves spring training facility), building team chemistry in the parks, participating in a strength program with coaches from the NFL Combine, participating in a speed clinic led by an Olympic coach and much more.
“Based on the success of our first trip, I knew that this was something I would try and repeat every two to three years,” Eschenmann said.
Teams from across the country visit the resort to train and compete in the spring as part of the Disney High School Spring Training program.
When high school teams sign up to participate in the event, Disney identifies the level of competition and then matches up the team against similar opponents in a scrimmage format.
Over 20 teams from across the country are expected to participate in the competition.
Blacksburg will face Mother McCauley High School (Chicago, Illinois), a 3A school, which is the highest classification from that state. Eshenmann expects their team to be very talented.
“We have our work cut out for us, but I believe it is better to be challenged early in the season so that we can prepare for a difficult district regular season,” he said.
Blacksburg won state titles in 2014, 2015, 2016, and lost in the state semifinals last year.
Originally, the Bruins had hoped to play as many as four games before this southern trip, but the weather has messed with the team’s schedule.
“Blacksburg High School is one of the few remaining schools in the area without turf, and given the increased precipitation this spring, we have not been able to play a single game (home or away). All of our opponents have had a minimum of 1-2 games, while we’ve been training in our gym. We were fortunate to travel to away sites for our scrimmages and had the opportunity to gather some valuable learning experiences, but eventually you have to get into a game environment to see where you stand. I expect that this will be similar to a post season environment,” the coach said.
The quality of the opponent is a complete unknown, according to Eschenmann, but he is fine with that.
“At this stage in the season, the game is more about BHS playing our game. Of course, we will need to make adjustments to our opponent, but it is just as important that we establish our style of play. I do know that our opponent is midway into their season and will present a tough challenge.”
One of the keys for Eschenmann is that his team looks to establish themselves defensively, a key as they move forward with the season.
“Finding our defensive shape is critical to our success this season, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we communicate with one another on the field. Based on our limited game time, we are certainly expecting there to be mistakes, but I really believe that we can count on our senior leadership and returning players to help the younger girls find our rhythm. It is a great chance to build our chemistry on the field,” he said.
The group of girls and man of their parents and coaches will also be given a chance to visit the amusement park during the weekend visit. They will be staying at the Pop-Century Resort and visiting all four parks during the trip.
“This trip is actually about much more than just the game. This is a tremendous opportunity for the entire team to grow together as a unit and create a lifetime memory of their high school career. In 2018, we have coordinated with the Disney Youth Education Series team to have the girls participate in a program on ‘Managing Your Personal Brand,’ a highly relevant educational program for today’s high school student as they prepare to go college and eventually begin their careers.
Team dinners, park experiences, travel activities, training and much more will all contribute to a magical team building opportunity for these student athletes.
In Eschemann’s own words, “who knew Blacksburg High School would have to drive to Florida to get in a game this spring. The bonus is also an opportunity for a group of teenagers to visit Disney World.”
