We continue to preview fall sports on the hill!
On the pitch, Head Coach Chris Cardona and the Lady Cougars look primed for a great season.
After a very rocky year, capped by a heartbreaking loss to Overton, this season should go much better for the Lady Cougars.
Coach Cardona pointed out this year, as compared to last year, his team will be better mentally.
“Just being together conditioning, helped a whole bunch” as well as “being able to go somewhere during the dead period.”
Mentally he feels his team is in a better place.
“Knowing that when you get back you’re ready to go and get the season started off on the right foot.”
Like every team on the hill, however, coming back to a sense of normalcy won’t be the only challenge for the Lady Cougars.
Back in a familiar district, Dickson County will face rivals old and new.
The Lady Cougars’ new district will be quite small, but highly competitive.
A four-team district, it will be Dickson County, Northwest, Kenwood, and Henry County who will battle it out.
Cardona is excited though.
He feels the Lady Cougars have a “great chance” to win not just their district but make a deep run into the playoffs due to the size and familiarity with district and region teams.
The small size also lends itself to high caliber out of district play and tournament participation.
Highlighting the non-district schedule will be a tournament in Gatlinburg, as well as playing region teams in the regular season.
“Overall it is a great situation we are in” according to Coach Cardona thanking AD Jay Powlas for making it happen.
As any team does though season to season, replacing talent is on the forefront for the Lady Cougars.
They lost just three seniors from last year, but all three will go on to play in college.
“We’re gonna do well as far as the starting lineup, the key trick is we gotta find those key subs” stated Cardona.
The Lady Cougars do have 7 seniors returning this season, as well as a couple of juniors.
“They have a lot of experience.”
Coach Cardona was quick to point out that is not just in the game either.
This crop of seniors and juniors has seen more in terms of mental adversity and physical deterrents than any other group ever, he stated.
That level of toughness should mean good things for Cardona and the Lady Cougars, in terms of on-field results.
Early in season prep, in fact, it is even being seen as a positive some girls are still on vacation.
With girls gone one week and in attendance the next it’s allowed, according to Cardona “us to take it as a positive. Lets pretend she’s injured who are we gonna put there in that scenario?”
The preseason also will be a big benefit Cardona informed me.
It will allow him to enter the season with a better idea of where girls’ fit into the program.
Without a preseason last year, you could tell it took some time early on to iron out who was varsity and who was JV as well as where they all fit into the program.
In the end, on-field results will dictate how this, like any other season, is perceived.
However, this team seems very likely to have a great year.
If you want to hear the full interview with Coach Cardona check out the link below.
