By Cara Kemp
The women’s soccer team has officially started their preseason training, with coach Mitchell Thompson expressing his satisfaction with the squad’s dedication and effort during the first session.
Despite the sweltering heat, the players showed determination, which Mitchell found particularly encouraging as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Mitchell emphasised that fitness is the main priority in these early sessions, understanding that a well-conditioned team will have a significant advantage once the season begins.
“The fitter we are, the better the season will be,” he said.
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“Right now, it’s just about showing up and putting in the effort.”
While tactics and skill development will come later, the initial focus is on building endurance, ensuring the team can maintain a high level of intensity throughout matches.
The preseason is also an opportunity to assess player fitness levels and commitment, but Mitchell believes it is too soon to pinpoint specific areas for improvement.
“At the moment, it’s more about getting everyone back into the rhythm of training,” he said.
“It’s still early days.”
However, he noted that if the strong attendance continues, team selections could become a challenge later in the preseason.
“If numbers stay high, picking the squad will be tough,” he said.
“I hate making those decisions, but it’s a good problem to have.”
The intense summer heat has added an extra layer of difficulty to the training sessions, but the players have embraced the challenge.
Mitchell praised their resilience, saying, “I was really impressed with the girls’ efforts, especially in the bloody hot weather”.
“They pushed through, which is a great sign of their commitment.”
As the preseason progresses, the training will gradually shift towards more technical and tactical aspects of the game.
Mitchell is looking forward to cooler conditions, which will allow the team to increase the intensity of their sessions.
“Once it cools down, we’ll be able to push a bit harder and really test ourselves,” he said.
