Soccer steps on pitch for day one

FAYETTEVILLE – It was chilly, with a slight breeze and rain, not ideal conditions for training, but perfect for the University of Arkansas Lady Razorback soccer team as it stepped onto the pitch for the first time to begin the 2004 preseason schedule at 9:00 Wednesday morning.

Starting the schedule with a series of stretches and agility exercises, Arkansas head coach Gordon Henderson wasted no time as he quickly moved into a pair of fitness, speed and stamina tests to gauge his team’s aerobic fitness level. Arkansas began the tests with a mile run, followed closely by a 40-yard sprint. Those tests along with a host of others give Henderson and his staff the necessary data to determine who is best suited to take the field for Arkansas at the beginning of the year.

“Things went very well today,” Henderson said. “We changed the schedule slightly from a two-mile run to the mile and a sprint then went on to play a little 9-v-9. Overall the team came back in good shape. No one seemed to have lost any significant level of fitness from the returning class and I’ve said from the beginning that this freshman class will make us more athletic and that was proven today.

After the conclusion of the 9-v-9 contest, the Lady Razorback were on their own for lunch before reconvening at Lady’Back Field to make their way to their two-a-day camp retreat. The Lady Razorbacks are back in Fayetteville on Friday afternoon where they are then scheduled to continue their-two-a-day sessions until Aug.17 when they leave for Waco, Texas, to take on Baylor University at 7:00 p.m.

For more information on the University of Arkansas women’s athletics department or about Lady Razorback soccer go to www.ladybacks.com.