Sara Clifft
Editor
Despite new challenges on and off the field, this year has seen the DHS Lady Trojans reach dizzying new heights. Their current record, for example, now sits at 13-3-1, meaning thirteen wins, three losses and one tie.
Head Coach Musa Manneh speculated on what set this season, and this team, apart from the others.
“We’ve done some things we haven’t done before: just the sheer volume of practice, and the difficulty of the practice. I ran the girls just like I would run the boys,” Manneh said.
Typically Manneh, who coaches both the boys and girls soccer teams, trains the girls team to a lesser intensity than the boys, but after Junior Ally Kate Byars challenged this precedent, Manneh decided to switch things up.
“It all started with Ally Kate, who walked up to me and said ‘Why do you run the boys harder than us?’ This was maybe a month and a half before the season, and I didn’t forget. So when we got out there, I just let them do whatever the boys were doing. Actually, the girls worked harder. We do stations, this is called interval training and it's very difficult, and the boys never do that every day; the girls do it everyday, it’s become part of their practice routine,” Manneh said.
In addition to the increased intensity of their practice regiment, this year’s success can also be attributed to the team, which has yielded many talented and experienced players.
“We have some very good players. Even though they’re freshmen, we have five freshmen that consistently start,” Manneh said.
On and off the field it seems the players work well together within their close-knit team dynamic.
“These girls...they’re funny. They keep people like me younger. It’s a very good environment and camaraderie,” Manneh said.
The Lady Trojans will be going to State for the first time in 10 years following their win against Millington on October 24.
“Listen, I know I’m the coach but these girls surprised me,” Manneh said. “I’m just so super super super proud of them.”
Photos by Sara Clifft
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