North Carolina State University Athletics
Meredith Parrilla: Wolfpack's Winning Weekend (9/8/08)
9/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Pack Athletics
What a weekend! We have now improved to 5-0 and though it may not have been pretty at times, we got the job done.
Friday’s game against Virginia Commonwealth University was changed from 7:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. because of Tropical Storm Hanna scheduled to hit the Triangle this weekend. We weren’t affected by that and stayed in our normal routine despite the time change. Pre-game meal was at 1:30 p.m. and afterwards we headed back to our locker room to get dressed, taped, stretched and mentally geared up for the game. I am big on routine so I prepared myself the same way as I do any game.
After getting dressed I tape my left wrist and write the same motivational quote for each game. Below it I put the initials of someone special to me, and I make sure to play that specific game for that person. Once I am taped I grab my ipod and headphones and find a spot in the building where I won’t be bothered and start visualizing what needs to be done in the game to help my team win. An hour and 15 minutes before kick off we meet Coach Kerrigan in the locker room to go over the lineup, our formation and specific tendencies the other team has. And the rest they say ... is history.
It certainly was not my visualization beforehand, but we beat VCU 1-0 on a great ball from Gia to Lindsey in the pouring rain Friday afternoon. After the game everyone knew it wasn’t our best performance, but a win is a win and we needed to start getting focused for Sunday’s match.
Practice on Saturday was scheduled for 8 a.m., but moved to 3 p.m. in the basketball gym because the roads were too dangerous to drive on with the over five inches of rain that fell that morning. It was short and sweet but much needed. We stretched, did some technical passing and played soccer tennis, sandwiched between some three point shooting contests and .. umm .. some air balls now and then. I guess all of the friendly shoot a-rounds with some of the basketball boys hasn’t quite paid off yet. Oh well :/
When practice ended a bunch of us rushed back to shower and change before heading to the football game. Most of the girls went together, but my mom was visiting this weekend so I went with her instead. We sat in the front row on the 35-yard line and really enjoyed ourselves! State won 34-24 and I felt that another Wolfpack victory was in store for us all on Sunday.
Sunday’s game was a step in the right direction for us. We beat Stetson 3-2 after falling behind for the first time all season in the first half. It was a good test for us to see how we played while losing and the team really played well and never gave up. People still doubt us, but that hasn’t stopped anyone from continuing to play hard and train hard. I believe in us, the coaches believe in us and my teammates believe in us. At this point, that’s all that matters ...
“To be a champion you have to believe in yourself when no one else will”
-Sugar Ray Robinson
Meredith Parrilla
Women’s Soccer
Friday’s game against Virginia Commonwealth University was changed from 7:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. because of Tropical Storm Hanna scheduled to hit the Triangle this weekend. We weren’t affected by that and stayed in our normal routine despite the time change. Pre-game meal was at 1:30 p.m. and afterwards we headed back to our locker room to get dressed, taped, stretched and mentally geared up for the game. I am big on routine so I prepared myself the same way as I do any game.
After getting dressed I tape my left wrist and write the same motivational quote for each game. Below it I put the initials of someone special to me, and I make sure to play that specific game for that person. Once I am taped I grab my ipod and headphones and find a spot in the building where I won’t be bothered and start visualizing what needs to be done in the game to help my team win. An hour and 15 minutes before kick off we meet Coach Kerrigan in the locker room to go over the lineup, our formation and specific tendencies the other team has. And the rest they say ... is history.
It certainly was not my visualization beforehand, but we beat VCU 1-0 on a great ball from Gia to Lindsey in the pouring rain Friday afternoon. After the game everyone knew it wasn’t our best performance, but a win is a win and we needed to start getting focused for Sunday’s match.
Practice on Saturday was scheduled for 8 a.m., but moved to 3 p.m. in the basketball gym because the roads were too dangerous to drive on with the over five inches of rain that fell that morning. It was short and sweet but much needed. We stretched, did some technical passing and played soccer tennis, sandwiched between some three point shooting contests and .. umm .. some air balls now and then. I guess all of the friendly shoot a-rounds with some of the basketball boys hasn’t quite paid off yet. Oh well :/
When practice ended a bunch of us rushed back to shower and change before heading to the football game. Most of the girls went together, but my mom was visiting this weekend so I went with her instead. We sat in the front row on the 35-yard line and really enjoyed ourselves! State won 34-24 and I felt that another Wolfpack victory was in store for us all on Sunday.
Sunday’s game was a step in the right direction for us. We beat Stetson 3-2 after falling behind for the first time all season in the first half. It was a good test for us to see how we played while losing and the team really played well and never gave up. People still doubt us, but that hasn’t stopped anyone from continuing to play hard and train hard. I believe in us, the coaches believe in us and my teammates believe in us. At this point, that’s all that matters ...
“To be a champion you have to believe in yourself when no one else will”
-Sugar Ray Robinson
Meredith Parrilla
Women’s Soccer
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