If the Culver City girls’ soccer team can avoid injuries and stay healthy going into Ocean League play, the Centaurs will be hard to beat. The 6-1-2 lady Centaurs have been battling injuries during a demanding pre-season schedule and hope to get all of the girls ready for league play that starts next month.
“We need to get all of the girls healthy and get a few more games under our belts before league play starts,” said head coach Scott Mair last week.
Despite the injuries and players getting sick Mair is happy with the team’s progress so far.
“The midfielders have been playing well and the back line is also stepping up and getting the job done,” Mair said. “We need to keep talking out there but I really like the play of my striker, A. J. (Amanda Jaramillo). She has been working really hard these last few games.”
Communicating is very important in team sports and Mair relies on his captains, Isabel Deharo and Tatianna Estrada to be the second and third voices on and off the field.
“Tatianna and I do a good job of being vocal but the team needs to communicate better,” said Deharo last week. “ We are a young team so the new girls need to open up to what we are trying to tell them. It’s a long season but I try to keep encouraging them and I don’t talk down to them. I try to stay positive even if we are losing.”
Junior goalkeeper Emily Cadena is another positive player on a team that has a great combination of stars and role players.
“This team is awesome,” Cadena said. “We practice hard and we make sure we look out for each other. My job out there is number one; don’t let the other team score; and number two is to be vocal. We can be as good as we want to be.”
Culver City’s next home game is against a good Palos Verdes team on Jan. 7, 2015 at 3 p.m.
The following week the Centaurs will host Lawndale in their first Ocean League game at 3 p.m. on Jan. 14, 2015.