The women's soccer blog is back, and this year it's Kendall Johnson who is taking on blogging duties for the Pilots. Kendall will check in now and then with updates on the Pilots, the season and life in general. Be sure to bookmark PortlandPilots.com/KendallBlog to follow Kendall and the Pilots all season long!
ENTRY #7
Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012
Greetings Pilot Nation!
Last weekend we played USC on a hot California afternoon and were able to secure a 3-2 victory over the Trojans. I cannot say it was the prettiest of games, nor was the atmosphere anything like Merlo, but a win on the road is always something to write home about. We are all excited to be back at home for the next three games ahead of us.
This week, I wanted to talk to you about some very important people in our program. Due to the fact that fans come to watch our team play, the spotlight is often on players and coaches. However, our staff expands far beyond what you see down on the field. With that said, I would like to introduce you to some people who don’t receive as much attention as they deserve and play an integral part in making our team who we are today.
Bradford Scott: Coach Scott is a big reason Rebekah fends off players in the air, Lorielle tosses players during tackles, and our whole team holds their own during games. Coach Scott is our lifting coach and let me tell you, he has quiet the talent for putting together killer circuits. For instance, one of our team’s personal (not) favorites is called “Howdy Partner”. This circuit entails you and a partner completing a total of 300 body weight squats, 200 sit ups, 100 pushups, and 50 chin-ups as fast as you can. I must admit my jeans fit a tid bit tighter since I first got here, but it’s all worth it when the work translates onto the field. Plus, we get a Muscle Milk after every lift, which essentially tastes like first class chocolate milk. Aside from being a pristine lifter, Coach Scott can shred the gnar on the mountain and at the skate park. We both happen to be huge fans of Exit (a skateboarding company) socks. They are quite comfortable and I recommend you check them out.
Dan “The Man” McGinty: In the UP athletics world, Dan McGinty is one part Academic Advisor and two parts legend. I can assure you that every UP athlete has sought Dan’s guidance at one point or another. Whether you’re struggling in calculus, need help choosing classes for next semester, or simply need life advice, Dan is your go-to guy. Regardless of the problem, he never fails to find the perfect solution. Some compare Dan to God. He’s a cool guy and all, but he is no Dan McGinty. That is why whenever I’m in a bind, I always stop, take a deep breath, and ask myself WWDD? What would Dan Do? Once I can answer that question, all my problems miraculously fade away.
Adam Linnman: Adam has a special place in my heart as we both attended the same elementary school, middle school, and high school. Also, we are big Oregon Duck fans, when the Pilots aren’t playing of course. At UP, Adam is our team’s (along with several others) Sports Information Director. He makes sure that all of you guys are informed with the latest updates about our team. Additionally, he is in charge of editing this blog and making sure everything I say in here is appropriate. Adam Linnman is an extremely charming, athletic, intelligent, funny, trustworthy guy and anyone who has met him is lucky to be graced with his presence. Adam edited that last sentence in there (just kidding he didn’t, he’s a humble guy, but he could if he wanted to). Adam’s office is located along the pathway I often take to get to our locker room. His door is consistently open, and it’s always nice to exchange a simple “hello” from such a nice guy.
Terry Favero: Known to us as T-Fav, Terry is like the famous infomercial product, “The Magic Bullet”. He can do it all. Teacher, father, conditioning coach, chef...you name it, he does it. For our team, Terry is in charge of turning us into what he calls “spicy cheetahs.” In other words, he makes sure we are fit enough to play the full 90 minutes, plus overtime if needed. T-Fav has an incredible ability to run us to the ground, yet he still manages to be on our good sides. This is highly due to the fact that, on occasion, he presents us with a very special post work-out refreshment; lemon water. His concoction is what I imagine rain tastes like in heaven. Aside from soccer, Terry is, from what I hear, an extremely difficult biology teacher. One of my most fond memories with T-Fav is when he took a few teammates and I to see a cadaver in one of his classrooms. I was curious what the ACL looked like, so T-Fav grabbed the cadaver's knee and snapped it in half. The wicked combination of the tree-branch-breaking noise and the unknown liquid oozing out of the knee was enough to make me have nightmares for a week straight. However, I now know what an ACL looks like. Thanks T-Fav!
These guys are just a few of many people at UP who help our program thrive today. Obviously, our fans are gigantic part as well. Rumor has it, we are on track to setting a record for the highest attendance throughout a season in college women’s soccer history (Editor’s note: No school has ever averaged 4,000 fans per game for an entire season; UP is currently averaging 4,066 fans per game thru three games). This weekend we play Seattle University on Friday at 7 and Denver University on Sunday at 1. Please come out and support us! Let’s make history!
Life,
Kendall
Previous Entries
• Entry #1 (Aug. 10, 2012)
• Entry #2 (Aug. 17, 2012)
• Entry #3 (Aug. 24, 2012)
• Entry #4 (Aug. 31, 2012)
• Entry #5 (Sept. 6, 2012)
• Entry #6 (Sept. 15, 2012)
