From Villanova to the Rock
Former Wildcats coach Larry Sullivan made a big adjustment when he came to North
BucksLocalSports Editor Coming into the 2011 campaign, Council Rock North girls soccer coach Larry Sullivan had never guided a team full of females before. With that in mind, Sullivan didn’t do too bad his first time out, taking the Lady Indians (19-4) all the way to the district finals and the PIAA Class AAA quarterfinals.
The girls are quick to credit their first-year coach, whose previous gigs were guiding the men’s team at sillanova (1991-2007) and the boys varsity team at Father gudge (’82-91).
“He’s really done a lot for our team; he’s changed the formations around, which really helped us a lot,” said 2011 co-captain Sarah Scheidell. “He’s just given our team so much confidence that we’ve come so far.” “It’s awesome.” Sullivan came into Newtown thinking he was going to install a 4-4-2 formation. After assessing the talent on the team however, he decided to go with a variation of the 4-3-3.
Executing the 4-3-3 de- pends on Nicole Moonan and Scheidell, who incidentally were the Rock’s top two scorers.
“Without those two playing together as well as they can play, the 4-3-3 doesn’t work,” said Sullivan.
Problems developed with the formula late in the season however, when Moonan went down with an injury.
“The Russians are coming on the right and the Chinese are coming on the left; I gotta be solid all the way through, said the coach, who possesses an obvious military background.
“So again, we had change things around.”
Sullivan spent the 2011 campaign trying to get the Rock girls to stretch the field. It was a tough sell, he said, but by the end of the season, he had made some inroads.
“Girls aren’t as fast and girls can’t jump as high so that changes the style a little, which shortens the game, not time-wise but passing and movement-wise.”
There’s very little difference between coaching college men and high school girls, said Sullivan, while admitting there are some
to nuances.
“Girls are more specific and to the point; you can’t change the rules.
“Boys are freer thinkers in that respect. I don’t think girls adapt as well as boys; it takes longer.”
There are, however, some benefits to coaching females, he said.
“Girls are much easier to coach because they follow instructions much better.
“In human terms, girls are much more caring and better teammates.”
In any run to PIAA glory, it all begins with the defense, says Sullivan.
“The easiest thing to do in soccer is to play defense. And defense wins championships; I’m a firm believer in that.”
With 2011 keeper Helena Gemmell stationed between the pipes and guliah Wexler and Kaitlin McNamara anchoring the backfield, Sullivan said last year’s team was rock solid in the back.
“gust check how many goals we’ve given up, never more than two in one game.”
It’s true. The 2011 Lady Indians surrendered just a single goal in their first 11 games – combined. They gave up two just once – in a mid-season loss to Neshaminy but they avenged it in a late-season 3-1 victory over the Redskins.
Playing tough foes twice each season in the Suburban One National League helped prepare the Indians for what was ahead in districts and states, he said.
“When you come through that Suburban League – Council Rock South, Neshaminy, Pennsbury – you’re battle-tested,”
Additionally, the Rock went up against Conestoga, Strath Haven and Mount St, goseph’s last season as well as beating Boyertown and the Pioneers before facing Owen g. Roberts in the district semifinals – a 3-1 victory.
On drawing CR South – whom the Indians beat twice during the 2011 regular season – in the state opener, Sullivan had this to say:
“It’s tough to beat the Little Sisters of the Poor three times; it’s tough to beat anybody three times. Everything is against you.”
Playing your sister school in states also has its advantages, however, he said.
“They’re the same people, it’s the same culture, they play on the same club teams so they know everything there is to know about the players lined up on the other side.”
When he arrived in Newtown, to his credit, Sullivan didn’t try to change any of that culture.
“I believe it’s their team; I’m just there to help them. With that attitude, I think they learn a lot faster.”
Players still have to follow the rules and if they don’t, Sullivan’s not against administering discipline. Still, he sticks to his “it’s their team” mantra.
“The greatest complement I ever got from one of my ex-players at Villanova was, ‘Coach, you let us be who we are.’”
While the girls approached their playoff games in a business-like fashion, the mood Sullivan sets for postseason practices is kept light-hearted.
“It is a game, isn’t it? So, you gotta enjoy it,” he said.
Late in the season, coach says, there’s not as much material to pine over. The subs know their roles, and players know what the team’s tactics are in any given situation.
“Now, the team is established. It’s more like a family playing two-hand touch on their front lawn.”
Sullivan says early-season practices are way more intense than late-season sessions.
“I have to forge out of this molten pot this individual team so it has to be more serious.”
Coach says the earlyseason practices are “like World War III.” Players are vying for positions and, coming off a long layoff from varsity play, are ready to hit the field running.
“They come in and they’re fiery. It’s easy to get into them. They get mad if you don’t but they’re pretty seri- ous, these girls.” Serious, but fun. “It’s been a fun year,” he said. “I love coaching right off the bat – that’s 50 percent of it.
“But it’s my first time coaching competitive soccer with girls; I’ve had to adjust, I must admit.”
It’s an adjustment the coach seems to have made with ease.
UPDATE: The Indians are off to a fast start going 4-0 including a 3-0 win over Abington Sept. 10 in the league opener. Sarah Scheidell, Kate McNamara and Helena demmell are no longer at Rock, having graduated in the spring.