Spring Break
The Daily OrangeFH | Trained eye: New field hockey coach Ange Bradley is changing the way SU plays - and it begins with conditioning
By Brian Tahmosh
Posted: 9/10/07, 11:06 PM EST Section: Sports
In her six seasons as head coach at Richmond, Bradley turned the Spiders around, leading them to five consecutive Atlantic 10 Conference Championships and a 42-game winning streak in conference play.
In her first meeting with Syracuse, Bradley talked about Richmond and the successful program she had built but emphasized even more the changes that had to be made at SU.
"I told them the first thing they have to do is become Division I athletes," Bradley said. "They needed to become fit and that was going to be a huge focus for us in the spring."
Woods said the players were going online to retrieve updated training schedules and programs, a far cry from the same training packets Woods remembered receiving every year from Parker. The programs also were geared more towards field hockey-specific training, something Bradley has emphasized since her days at Richmond.
In Bradley's first season at Richmond in 2001, the Spiders earned a spot in the semifinals of the conference tournament, where they met Massachusetts. Richmond was controlling the game against the first-seeded Minutewomen, owning a 1-0 lead late into the game.
Bradley still remembers seeing 1:29 left on the clock when the meltdown of her young team began. Richmond turned the ball over and UMass responded with the game-tying goal. The Minutewomen prevailed in overtime, handing Bradley the last A-10 loss of her career.
"For me, I was just sick," she said. "I sat in my hotel room in the dark for a long time and watched that over and over."
Bradley wanted to make sure her players, like her, never forgot that 1:29. She put a clock up during practice so the players would be aware of the score and situation during every training session.
Richmond responded by going undefeated in conference and winning the A-10 championship the next season. The Spiders earned their first NCAA tournament bid in school history and began a winning streak that has lasted five years and is still alive.
In her first meeting with Syracuse, Bradley talked about Richmond and the successful program she had built but emphasized even more the changes that had to be made at SU.
"I told them the first thing they have to do is become Division I athletes," Bradley said. "They needed to become fit and that was going to be a huge focus for us in the spring."
Woods said the players were going online to retrieve updated training schedules and programs, a far cry from the same training packets Woods remembered receiving every year from Parker. The programs also were geared more towards field hockey-specific training, something Bradley has emphasized since her days at Richmond.
In Bradley's first season at Richmond in 2001, the Spiders earned a spot in the semifinals of the conference tournament, where they met Massachusetts. Richmond was controlling the game against the first-seeded Minutewomen, owning a 1-0 lead late into the game.
Bradley still remembers seeing 1:29 left on the clock when the meltdown of her young team began. Richmond turned the ball over and UMass responded with the game-tying goal. The Minutewomen prevailed in overtime, handing Bradley the last A-10 loss of her career.
"For me, I was just sick," she said. "I sat in my hotel room in the dark for a long time and watched that over and over."
Bradley wanted to make sure her players, like her, never forgot that 1:29. She put a clock up during practice so the players would be aware of the score and situation during every training session.
Richmond responded by going undefeated in conference and winning the A-10 championship the next season. The Spiders earned their first NCAA tournament bid in school history and began a winning streak that has lasted five years and is still alive.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Jean Lewis
posted 1/20/09 @ 11:07 PM EST
Coach bradley plays favorites and manipulates players. BEWARE.
sue
posted 1/30/09 @ 11:00 PM EST
Can you be a little more specific. Were you one of her players?
Former Player
posted 2/01/09 @ 11:46 PM EST
Favorites and manipulation, welcome to Division I athletics. This is nothing new.
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