Lady Wildcats poised for more

Out on the practice field at Hobbton High, the Lady Wildcats were running through their progressions, passing the ball to and fro. Coach Eric McDonald stood in the middle, directing traffic and providing guidance for the team.

The Lady Wildcats stand at the top of the Carolina 1A, currently undefeated in their conference at 4-0. Hobbton has been dominant on the pitch and hasn’t lost a game since March 9 when they fell by three against DASH United, 5-2. Since entering conference play, they’ve allowed only two goals, one from Neuse Charter and Union, while outscoring the opposition with 33 goals in all four matches.

Though Hobbton is riding an eight-game win streak, McDonald held firm that they weren’t out of the woods yet.

“I think we’re doing well so far. Is it perfect? No. There’s more room for improvement and we’re trying to improve every game. So, yes we’re winning and we like that, but at the same time there are still certain things to fix and we’re working on fixing them.” McDonald said.

He went on to speak about how their positioning has been inconsistent along with mental lapses that have caused errors on the pitch. These shortcomings were being worked on upon early this week, as all the players were taking two steps and passing in repetitive fashion with a few long shot goals.

Two of the players, the keeper and one of the strikers, had a friendly rivalry going. A classic iron sharpens iron scenario that had them giggling at times, but when the game was on, they were locked in. McDonald acknowledged that his team has had a lot of success earning two Eastern regional visits. He said he reminds the team to put that last game out of their minds and move on to the next as any game could go sideways.

“I remind them that at the end of each game, the scoreboard is erased. So what happened last week has no impact or bearing on what comes next. The most important game is what’s ahead of us.”

Knowing what has happened in their past two regional appearances, the Wildcats fell to Wood’s Charter in both matches. McDonald was adamant in his resolve that those games don’t matter anymore either.

“We’re not looking at what happened last year or the year before, we’re focusing on the next game. That’s our plan, so we’re taking it game by game and see where that takes us.”

McDonald lauded his team’s focus on accountability and their desire for success. With four seniors on the team, he spoke of them imparting their wisdom onto the next generation. He talked about instilling an attitude of being your “sister’s keeper,” alluding to a mentality of holding each other in check and seeing each other as sisters to help develop the bonds necessary for the sport, honing in on discipline and motivation.

Recruiting within the school has been difficult, he pointed out, with a current roster of 18. He didn’t make a fuss about it though, explaining how this is just part of being a coach.

“It has been a bit difficult; I’m not sure why. Hopefully next year, we’ll get a few more from middle school or bring some from within the school. I’m so much concerned about that as coaches, whoever turns up we try to make the best out of them. That’s our position.”

With every new class that comes in, there are challenges for coaches to face. One of the more difficult ones for McDonald is timid attitude, not wanting to make a mistake or dwelling on them. He tries to foster an environment around the team where they are free to make mistakes, to let them learn through trial and error.

In addition, he tries to remind them that criticism is OK and not personal. Not being the hollering type, he implements positive reinforcement and pinpoints where the error occurred to help them hone their skill.

“We’re all human and not professionals, of course mistakes are going to happen,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s a sport and it’s about having fun. If the fun is out of it, then of course, it doesn’t make sense (to play).”

He’s optimistic about the future and he is focused on the next game, not looking to far ahead. With conference play underway, he looks at every opponent, regardless of skill and keeps the same mentality. Whether it’s the lowest placed team or the No. 1 in the state, their approach is the same.

“Games are won on the pitch, not paper.”