Livingston Academy

[DonCChatt]

I hope I get a chance to see her play some time.

 

 

Looks like I will get a chance to see her play. Livingston Academy travels to Notre Dame this Saturday for the sectional game. 2nd Year in a row that these two teams have met in a sectional match (ND won 5-0 last year). Of course, two years ago, LA in Football defeated ND in the semi-Final match of 3A ball before winning it all....

[mustcoach]

Mustcoach,

 

Listening to you describe her, I hope I get a chance to see her play some time. It raises a question however. Can 1 player, no matter how great, carry a team? Livingston Academy has a great record this year, but looking at who they have played, they really don't appear to have played a very difficult schedule. I saw LA last year (presumably w/o Kat), and I don't see how they can go far in post season. Based on Eurosportscoreboard.com, almost all LA's opponents have loosing records.

 

I don't mean to knock the team (and certainly not her). I suspect that it is difficult to find more than a handful of club players away from the main Metro areas.

 

To answer your question...Kat CAN carry a team against weaker teams that can't stop her or stop her making her teammates better. She is the difference in those wins. Against teams with deeper depth then NO. It is within Kat's personality to make her teammates better. Oh, she will get hers and she loves to win make NO mistake about that. But she is a great teammate. She keeps things in perspective very well. Back when she played for me she had teammates that were as good as she was at that time. Kat never thought she was better and had such a nobility of character about her. She understood the BIG picture of TEAM. That is one of the qualities that I admired about Kat. When everyone around her wanted her to be all about Kat, she understood the team wins when everyone works together. I knew she had all the ability in the world when I first saw her. She was very raw technically, had some tactical understanding of the game, but what made her stand out was the PASSION for the game that I mentioned in my first reply. It's what makes ELITE players standout from all the rest. Some would read this and think I am trying to take credit for Kats ability because she played for me two years. All I did was clean up some technical, tactical, physical and mental parts of a blossoming player. What she taught me was far more immeasureable. I think she cleans up pretty good! /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

[manoamano]

To answer your question...Kat CAN carry a team against weaker teams that can't stop her or stop her making her teammates better. She is the difference in those wins. Against teams with deeper depth then NO. It is within Kat's personality to make her teammates better. Oh, she will get hers and she loves to win make NO mistake about that. But she is a great teammate. She keeps things in perspective very well. Back when she played for me she had teammates that were as good as she was at that time. Kat never thought she was better and had such a nobility of character about her. She understood the BIG picture of TEAM. That is one of the qualities that I admired about Kat. When everyone around her wanted her to be all about Kat, she understood the team wins when everyone works together. I knew she had all the ability in the world when I first saw her. She was very raw technically, had some tactical understanding of the game, but what made her stand out was the PASSION for the game that I mentioned in my first reply. It's what makes ELITE players standout from all the rest. Some would read this and think I am trying to take credit for Kats ability because she played for me two years. All I did was clean up some technical, tactical, physical and mental parts of a blossoming player. What she taught me was far more immeasureable. I think she cleans up pretty good!

 

 

VERY WELL PUT, It is exactly that kind of player that is in demand by every college coach, national team, odp team etc... It is very common to be an ABOVE average player in High School Soccer, but when you succeed in the higher levels, then you are much more. I touched base with a parent from the Station Camp Team last nite, they told me that NIGRO had a great game, and was really the only player on the field that was still running and trying her hardest. She had great passes, beating defender after defender, and an amazing goal at the end, beating 3 defenders and the goal keeper. It seemed to them that a lot of the girls on LA was simply not in shape to play the next level. Which leads to how important running every day is. I know that if you want to play college, no matter what position, you have to be able to run a mile at 7, or you wont even be considered, I bet Nigro has her own work out she does everyday. I look forward to seeing Nigro play at the higher level games she is involved in. Sounds like we are all watching one of the next World Cup Player, or Olympic Player. Good luck to her she has a lot of fans already.

[dixiepixie14]

VERY WELL PUT, It is exactly that kind of player that is in demand by every college coach, national team, odp team etc... It is very common to be an ABOVE average player in High School Soccer, but when you succeed in the higher levels, then you are much more. I touched base with a parent from the Station Camp Team last nite, they told me that NIGRO had a great game, and was really the only player on the field that was still running and trying her hardest. She had great passes, beating defender after defender, and an amazing goal at the end, beating 3 defenders and the goal keeper. It seemed to them that a lot of the girls on LA was simply not in shape to play the next level. Which leads to how important running every day is. I know that if you want to play college, no matter what position, you have to be able to run a mile at 7, or you wont even be considered, I bet Nigro has her own work out she does everyday. I look forward to seeing Nigro play at the higher level games she is involved in. Sounds like we are all watching one of the next World Cup Player, or Olympic Player. Good luck to her she has a lot of fans already.

 

 

 

/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> What do you mean, run a mile at 7 ??? Just wondering!

[nolife]

To answer your question...Kat CAN carry a team against weaker teams that can't stop her or stop her making her teammates better. She is the difference in those wins. Against teams with deeper depth then NO. It is within Kat's personality to make her teammates better. Oh, she will get hers and she loves to win make NO mistake about that. But she is a great teammate. She keeps things in perspective very well. Back when she played for me she had teammates that were as good as she was at that time. Kat never thought she was better and had such a nobility of character about her. She understood the BIG picture of TEAM. That is one of the qualities that I admired about Kat. When everyone around her wanted her to be all about Kat, she understood the team wins when everyone works together. I knew she had all the ability in the world when I first saw her. She was very raw technically, had some tactical understanding of the game, but what made her stand out was the PASSION for the game that I mentioned in my first reply. It's what makes ELITE players standout from all the rest. Some would read this and think I am trying to take credit for Kats ability because she played for me two years. All I did was clean up some technical, tactical, physical and mental parts of a blossoming player. What she taught me was far more immeasureable. I think she cleans up pretty good! /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

 

 

Mustcoach, why and how did you let that one get away. I hear she plays on a Knoxville team so travel couldn't be an issue.

[mustcoach]

Mustcoach, why and how did you let that one get away. I hear she plays on a Knoxville team so travel couldn't be an issue.

 

The short of it is this...Kat was playing up a year with my team. The next year when all of my players were freshman she would still be in 8th grade and would have to play on another team age appropriate. It was better for both parties to go ahead and let her play at her age level and for us to move on. NO travel was not the issue. IT was the best move for both parties and I have no regrets about letting Kat go. In the end it is what is best for the players. That is the way I coach by putting my ego aside for the good of the players development. She is still successful on her team, Velocity Premier, and the Mustangs are rolling right along. Do we miss her, YEP. We miss her spirit, her great smile and the poems the girl writes are genuine and great. We all miss the friendships with her family. The father is hilarious and we have shared many a drive to far off tournaments laughing till our stomachs hurt. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> My daughter still stays in touch as do alot of the girls on the team. It is all good! /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

[nolife]

How did Kat do against Notre Dame?

[DonCChatt]

How did Kat do against Notre Dame?

 

 

I did get a chance to watch Kat play. She has tremendous hustle, and some impressive foot skills, but Notre Dame's defense was too much for her. She might get a steal, and start to drive up, but then 2 or 3 Notre Dame defenders would collapse on her and shut the attack down. I think LA only made it past the midfield line a few times, and I only recall one shot just after halftime.

 

Final score was 8-0 Notre Dame, with 7 different players scoring for Notre Dame, I believe.

[nextbest09]

HnedersonvilleHendersonville

[REGal4]

The short of it is this...Kat was playing up a year with my team. The next year when all of my players were freshman she would still be in 8th grade and would have to play on another team age appropriate. It was better for both parties to go ahead and let her play at her age level and for us to move on. NO travel was not the issue. IT was the best move for both parties and I have no regrets about letting Kat go. In the end it is what is best for the players. That is the way I coach by putting my ego aside for the good of the players development. She is still successful on her team, Velocity Premier, and the Mustangs are rolling right along. Do we miss her, YEP. We miss her spirit, her great smile and the poems the girl writes are genuine and great. We all miss the friendships with her family. The father is hilarious and we have shared many a drive to far off tournaments laughing till our stomachs hurt. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> My daughter still stays in touch as do alot of the girls on the team. It is all good! /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

[/quote

 

You all definitely have it right that Kat is one heck of a great player/athlete/young woman---God be willing. nothing but greatness will find this gal. However, MustCoach, I do remember quite a different story of how this girl got away from the Mustangs. Anyone who knows the story up close and personal could recount how ugly you were about Kat and her father leaving. Botton line, she had to go to the next level and made the right decision by doing so.

 

My opinion is no matter how great a player is they cannot carry a team as evidenced by the 8-0 score against Notre Dame. Defense wins games as well as a an offense with a well put together attack. Kat's soccer IQ isn't even understood by her Livingston teammates. Of course Kat is at an Elite level playing for a school that will never make it very far in Regionals or State. There are plenty of other great players out there that play for unrecognized schools because of having zero or a very few club players. Tessa Johnson, one of Kat's club teammates is an exceptional soccer player that carried the Knoxville Halls team all season. Gretchen Johnson, who is now out with an ACL tear, from Karns is also a great player and athlete. Additionally, Mallie Collins at Powell has what it takes to go far. These teams will probably never even make it to Disctricts There is no question that players at the Big PowerHouses will get noticed. For example, Samantha Turner who is another of Kat's club teammates and plays for Beardan, is very good and has had a lot of buzz this season. It takes more than one great player to make a team. Unfortunately, some of these girls across the state don't get much buzz because of the high school team they play for don't merit much attention.

[mustcoach]

You know REGal4, I wondered who you were and now I know. If you read the beginning of the reply it stated the "short of it". No one outside the Mustangs and Kat's family need to know everything that goes on. It is the dirty part of youth sports and people like yourself I really have a distaste for. Only someone with NO CLASS would bring something up like this in this type of open forum. I won't even give you the satisfaction of really replying to this as it really is NO ONES BUSINESS BUT THE PARTIES INVOLVED. Like I said all is good and that truely is what it is. All parties have moved on, had success and at the very least everyone was TRUTHFUL about their intentions unlike some that I know. Now we know who we are...stop hiding behind the screen name and grow up. If you really need to have this discussion further you have my email address...Even then it really is NONE of your business.

[cchssoccer]

I have to say something about this young lady... Kat. She came to Cumberland County and the whole CCHS team was in awe. They called Kat the World Cup Girl. Kats ball skills were fun to watch. She was able to put the ball exactly where she wanted repeatedly. She often used her head for redirecting. She even had an assist off a cross that looked like her teammate didn't even know the ball was coming and scored because the ball deflected perfectly. We played man-to-man with Kat and our Taylor Williams contained great without physical play. Ended up tieing after a 25-30yd. D.K. was nailed by Kat tucked into the far post over our keepers head. What a pleasure to watch... What an honor for Tennessee!