Kristi Schnepp scores against Jacksonville. /// Photo: Tony Berry •Fort Miami is 2-0 in Florida’s DII club competition, and coach Eyal Hakim is appreciating the uptick in team play. The right personnel is there – both on the pitch and behind the clipboard – and adjustments to the practice schedule have proven beneficial.
“The experience level is actually pretty high. We have a lot of girls who have been playing a long time and together, and that leads to a good amount of cohesion in the team,” Hakim said. “And I’m coaching with Jane Bolin, who’s been in and out of the club the last 10 years. We’ve got a good base and are building in some college graduates.”
Hakim pointed to captain Katie McAuley as the leader in the forwards, and flyhalf Ashley Bengston and center Vivian Junger Silveira for keeping a rotating backline in order. That direction helped a 36-12 season-opening win over Orlando in late January. On Saturday, Fort Miami piled it on Jacksonville, going up 35-5 at half on tries from Kristi Schnepp (2), Ashley Mackenzie (2) and Anel Echagaray. Silveira kicked five of her six conversions. In the second 40, Tatum Walker, Helen Rosario and Raye Salkey added five-pointers, and Silveira’s conversion made it 52-5 at the whistle.
[Click here for the highlight reel of Fort Miami vs. Jacksonville.]
“We’re feeling more cohesive this year, and you can see that by way of their playing – good support, nothing too fancy, just playing off each other,” Hakim said. “That’s a big part, but we’re also trying to do more team-oriented things.”
Fort Miami has players who travel from the west coast, commuting two hours one way for practice. In the past, the team has held two practices per week, half of the team would attend either session, and then the players would attempt to put it all together on game day. This year, Fort Miami holds one practice per week and it’s mandatory, and it’s supplemented by a Crossfit session. The result has been more unity.
Consistency will be the focus as Fort Miami completes the second half of the matrix season, which occurs on the road. There are three teams that compete in the matrix season, but Hakim isn’t looking to add in more friendlies. The coach indicated that injuries affected the team’s ability to advance deeper into playoffs, and he wants players to recover well between matches.
The Florida club championship occurs on April 22, and the victor will head to the Southern Conference Championship on May 6-7, also in Florida. The Southern championship begins at the semifinal stage and involves teams from Florida, Carolinas-Georgia and True South. The Southern champ then moves onto the DII national quarterfinals.
Click here for the current Carolinas-Georgia standings
Click here for the current True South standings
Click here for the 2017 Calendar of Events