Kelly looks to build momentum going into new Lady Vols soccer season

While a 10-9-1 record in 2010 would cause some schools to hold ticker tape parades, it wasn't good enough for coach Angela Kelly and her University of Tennessee Lady Vols soccer team.

Although Kelly continues to recruit some of the top players in the country year after year, as well as relying on them for leadership, she would like to transmit her recruiting success into consistent winning success.

As the 2011 season approaches, in her 12th year at the helm, Kelly expressed optimism for the new year, and desired to build momentum going into this season, especially with a tournament, the First Tennessee Classic, in the Lady Vols' own backyard at Regal Soccer Stadium.

During a busy day, with a team photo session and late afternoon practice to follow, Kelly took time to talk to The Knoxville Journal about her team's continued growth and the players she relies on week-in and week-out, as well as her own growth.

The Knoxville Journal: How do you think the team progressed during the season last year?

Angela Kelly: You know, the irony is perhaps the results weren't always in our favor. It seems like an almost .500 record, and the irony is that this program grew so much. The young players — the freshmen in particular — became factors immediately. The growth of this program the past two years has been tremendous. That's the important thing — developing the student-athletes as players and young women, and then getting a quality education and 100 percent graduation. We're doing all of those things. For all of that experience last year and the growth, this year we have 11 freshmen and it's that much more exciting.

KJ: Do you think these freshmen are going to have a heavier impact compared to last year?

AK: The freshmen, on and off the field, had a tremendous impact. We always recruit young ladies with the hope that they're going to impact a great deal. You can never tell — nothing is guaranteed. We plug them into equations that offer great success, and we surround them with great talent and it's all about how they approach every training session, how they embrace their own personal development and how they go after it in training every day to make their teammates better.

KJ: Are there certain players you're going to look towards to really step up their roles as leaders on the team?

CAK: For me, I think you can cultivate some qualities of leadership, but I think it's somewhat innate. There's certain people that are willing to take responsibility a lot sooner than others. Certain people lead by example and there are vocal leaders. I think we have a great mix, regardless of their actual class. The upperclassmen have that much more experience and wisdom, so you hope they would step into that leadership role. Chelsea Hatcher has been nominated for the NCAA Player of the Year preseason watch, and that's very deserving. We would expect that she would want to take the team on her shoulders when it's needed, because that's what she's done in the past three years.

KJ: Looking at your team, what realistic chances do you think you have this year, in terms of success to the highest degree?

AK: There's a wonderful vibe on this team. The opportunity for a successful season is right there for the picking for them, and we're going to make sure they don't cut any corners and they're not complacent and they don't take anything for granted. When you do those things, the success in terms of the wins is a byproduct of all of your hard work. We're going to focus on day-to-day, and if one or a couple of those days brings us championships, we're going to be really excited about that.

KJ: I asked you this question last year, and I will ask it again — when you look at your schedule, is there anyone on there that will make you lose sleep at night?

AK: No. You have to prepare for every opponent the same. We are really excited about the level of talent that we are bringing to our First Tennessee Classic. UCLA, a perennial Final Four team; Texas A&M, wonderful Big 12 team; and Florida. That's great soccer ability, and it's going to be wonderful for the people of Knoxville to come watch soccer at that level. The University of Florida is always at the top of the SEC, and we have them at home. I think our home schedule is very exciting. But you know what, we're going to prepare for every team, and I will try to get as much sleep as I can the night before. (laughs)

KJ: Will you do anything differently as far as motivational tools?

AK: No. It hasn't changed in 15 years and I'm not going to change it now. I firmly believe, as I've already alluded to you, that nothing is given to you. You can't expect that same successes that you rest on your laurels, and you should never take anything for granted. The philosophy here is to run teams into the ground, outwork every opponent, to be tenacious on defense, to play positive out of pressure in transition, and take advantage of all our opportunities. We just want to play a very complete game.

KJ: This is kind of an off-the-subject question, but did you get a chance to watch any of the Women's World Cup games? Are you guys going to use any of their success as inspiration for this season?

AK: I will be referring back to many of the wonderful displays of talent at that World Cup. It was great for the women's game. The average ESPN follower was enthralled and passionate about U.S. women's soccer. For all of those reasons is a credit to ESPN. They had their best crew and they had Mia Hamm flying over for one game. Kristine Lilly was asked to fly on Air Force One with the president. They had support from every different angle. Everybody got excited. The U.S. certainly embraced the 'go after it' mentality, and everything the U.S. women are all about.

KJ: Lastly — and I will also ask this again — how do you continue to grow as a coach?

AK: Every single day as much as I ask them to work, I am becoming that much more a student of the game. I am building on my playing experience, and now I am building each day on my coaching experience. I had the great fortune of going over to watch (FC) Barcelona play for a week. They are the best team in the world. Mia Hamm is their international ambassador and one of my best friends, and she invited me to go and watch a week of training. We got to watch all those guys train and meet their youth coach and listen to the way they train them. I can't think of a better way than to pursue the best coach in the world and be immersed in his system for a week. We are incorporating a lot of those things that I learned there, and each and every year I will continue to do those types of things. Every coach in America would die for that experience.