The Olympian

Issue date: 11/7/07 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Sophie Siemion [Click to enlarge]

How do you usually
reward a well-playing,
hard-working team? New
warm-ups?
What about a 1-16 team?
How about new warm-ups
for them?
With the Olympic College
women's soccer team in this
situation, the OC athletic
department felt it appropriate
to award the girls' soccer
team with new warm-ups
in the middle of a game that
they were already losing 2-
0 and with only one game
remaining in the season.
Did I miss something?
16 losses. One win. The
first win didn't even come
until 13 games into the season.
They've been shut out
nine times and have given
up three or more goals in
a game 10 times this season.
They have only scored
eight times and given up 61
goals.
Do any of those statistics
provide supporting evidence
as to why a coach or
athletic department would
reward a one and 16 team?
Absolutely not.
You reward a team for
its hard work and dedication
and judging by what
the soccer team has displayed
this season, they
are far from it. A former
player described the team
as unmotivated and lacking
discipline during practice
and games from both
players and coaches. There
was a lack of team unity
on the field. Although there
may have been talent on
the field, the lack of unity
between players resulted in
a more than disappointing
season.
The women finished
their season with the second
worst offense, fifth worst
defense, and third worst
record in all of NWAACC.
They finished in last place
in the NWAACC West
Division.
What about the men's
team you might be asking?
Well they're not anything
to write home about either.
They are currently sporting
a record of one win, 13 losses,
and one tie. The men's
team is currently on a 14
game losing streak, which
includes having been shutout
four times, given up
three or more goals in a
game 11 times and had been
scored on nine times in one
game.
The men's point differential
is at -44, having given
up 62 goals and only scored
18. Given the men's team
has not been receiving new
gear for their efforts but
that doesn't let them off the
hook either.
The men's team also finished
last in the NWAACC
West Division. They finished
with the third worst
defense, the fifth worst
offense, and the third worst
record in all of NWAACC.
The last thing a losing
team deserves at the end
of the season is a reward
like new warm-ups. For
some reason, mediocrity is
rewarded in OC athletics.

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