Aug. 26, 2009
Head Penn State field hockey Charlene Morett and senior captain Bethany Marvel addressed the media as part of Fall Sports Media Day on Wednesday. Here's what they had to say.
Q: I was talking to [Old Dominion head coach] Beth Anders about your relationship with her. Do you think you learned a lot from working with her?
Morett: I learned everything about field hockey from working with Beth and from playing on the U.S. team. Beth is such a great competitor and really studies the game and is an innovator. I would say that I learned a lot about her coaching style - how to organize a practice, how to make changes during the game. I've learned every facet of field hockey from Beth.
Q: What do you think it will be like Friday after the game at Old Dominion? Will it take you two long to catch up?
Morett: We've been talking the past couple weeks. I would say we're very close as far as coaching peers go. There is a tremendous amount of mutual respect. We were teammates, so we really had that special bond. I think we have a sisterly relationship. I see the compassionate side of Beth that most people don't; they only see the competitive side. I just have a tremendous amount of respect for her. When the game is over, we give each other a big hug and whatever we say is very sincere and meaningful.
Q: I was told that other coaches say Char's best asset is her sense of humor. As one of her players, have you picked up on that?
Marvel: Yes, I would say her most recognizable aspect would be sarcasm. She likes to make jokes sometimes about our mistakes.
Q: One of your teammates told me that fundamentals are one of your focuses this year. Was that a problem in the past?
Marvel: I wouldn't necessarily say that it was a problem in the past, but I just think that if you are consistent in improving your fundamentals, it makes the team that much better. I think that's another area some teams get away from. Teams sometimes get away from the basics, but if you continue to have a good foundation then you can just build upon that.
Q: You took a hike as a team and when you got to the top, you discussed your team goals. What exactly were those goals?
Marvel: One of the main goals would be a commitment to each other and the team committing to work hard every day and work hard to improve. Up there, we were kind of on our own in isolation and we made a pact to commit to each other. I think by doing that, we will be able to reach our ultimate goal of being the best that we can, being Big Ten Champs again and making it to the Final Four.
Q: You start the season with two road games early in the season at Old Dominion and Virginia. Is it nice to be tested early?
Marvel: Certainly. Every year we start out playing Old Dominion. They're always one of the toughest teams in the country, so that is a great way to see where we compare to other teams. If we want to be the best, we need to start out well early in the season.
Q: Do you think you have the most difficult schedule in the country?
Morett: Yes, we worked on it. I think that our out of conference schedule is very challenging, but our team is definitely up to the task. Opening up with Old Dominion just puts a purpose to your preseason. The players know right away that they need to be focused. They need to be focused every practice. When you can get that kind of performance out of your players at every practice, then they will be ready to perform during the contest. I like playing the challenging schedule. Week in and week out we've got to get sharper and better every day for the game that weekend. It will just get us more prepared for conference play.
Q: Is it strange having two goalkeepers vying for the starting spot?
Morett: Yes, we've almost always had sort of the starting goalkeeper and then their role player, but both Ayla [Halus] and Ali [Meves] are confident goalkeepers and they both have the opportunity to win that spot. I think that it could be more of a game-by-game thing. It will be something that they will have to continue to challenge for throughout the season.
Q: You had a 4-2 win over Villanova last week in an exhibition game. It doesn't count in the standings, but how much does it mean to you? Is it nice to get that winning mentality back?
Morett: Yes. I saw a lot of very nice things out of our attack, but I thought that we got a little bit sloppy in the second half and that resulted in one of the second goals. This team has a lot of things it needs to experience. It's a matter of getting them on the field and showing them game-like situations and showing them how to handle them is very beneficial. I think the scrimmage really shows you where to place your players and who you can depend on early in the season.
Q: With the rule changes this year, do you anticipate an increase in scoring?
Morett: I think not just the scoring, but also the excitement of the game itself. We've already had several players who watch the game be played year in and year out and they watched the scrimmage and said it was a much faster game. Bethany can attest that you just don't get a breather because now there is no reason for the play to stop; now it just goes.
Q: Will you substitute more now because of the rule changes?
Morett: Definitely. One of the things that we asked of our players during the preseason was that they be flexible in the different positions they play. We're trying to get a few players in. In the midfield where Bethany plays, it's just a non-stop track meet. We want Bethany on the field, but we also want to make sure she has the stamina. That is a tough thing this early in the season. You're obviously going to see their stamina grow as the season goes on, but it is a quick turnaround from offense to defense.
Q: Were you pleased with the condition of the team when you returned?
Morett: Very, very pleased. Our team came in as the fittest team we've ever had. At the start of preseason, we had everyone pass the endurance test and only one didn't pass the sprint test. I think that speaks volumes for the players' commitment to the program this year. And a lot of credit goes to Bethany and her captain counterparts because I know that they played a very important role this summer by staying in touch with the players. That's something that we can't do as a coaching staff, but they really stayed in touch with their teammates and helped them with the fitness program.
Q: Bethany, is it hard to believe you are a senior?
Marvel: People always say college is the faster four years of your life and it really, truly is. You kind of don't understand that until you are in this position.
Q: Having gone through the 2007 season and being so close [to a National Championship], how are you guys trying to recapture what you had?
Marvel: It was an unbelievable experience. It was an exciting couple of weeks. We had these upset wins after upset wins. We have this tremendous pride for the team and for the university and representing on a national level. It is one of our highest team goals this season because my class and the current junior class were a part of that season. We talked with the underclassmen about what a great experience that was, so that is definitely one of our priorities.
Q: As a senior, are there any games on the calendar that you have circled?
Marvel: Each game, you really have to focus because again, with the strength of our schedule, every team we play has the potential to beat us. I think every game is especially important. To highlight one, I would say maybe our Iowa game at Iowa. It will be on the Big Ten Network, which is always fun and more exciting to play. My sophomore year when we played at Iowa, we had a controversial overtime loss. So that will be good to get out there again and hopefully avenge that.
The Nittany Lions begin the season this weekend, at No. 16 Old Dominion on Friday and No. 6 Virginia on Sunday. Check back to GoPSUsports.com for a complete recap of action from opening weekend.