The Barometer Online

Issue date: 11/1/06 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Andrew Burton OSU women's soccer coach Steve Fennah has said creating a family atmosphere amongst the team starts with recruiting. "You are looking for kids that have a personality and want to contribute to this team."

It's a typical Saturday afternoon for the Oregon State women's soccer team. Melissa Onstad has just spent a few hours studying exercise physiology and needs a break from the grind. Ali Vislay woke only a few hours ago, but she also needs a little spice in her day. Their paths cross in the living room, where their ideas meet. Onstad puts the disc in, Vislay grabs the guitar, and the scene is set. Monica Storm, Tiara Hong and Jetta Saduksy all enter when they hear the song "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top blaring from the television.

The once orange and black room is suddenly transformed into a rock concert, courtesy of the Playstation2 game "Guitar Hero." The guitar, which has endured months of rock'n'roll abuse, has five colors of chords that simultaneously appear on the screen.

For the next three hours, the five teammates will be mesmerized by each girl's attempt to become a guitar hero. The game has brought the five closer together like a family, which is the staple of the OSU women's soccer team.

The Beavers (8-8-3, 1-6 Pacific-10 Conference) are comprised of 25 girls from six different states and two different countries. The anxiety of being away from home and the adjustment to a new life are difficult for anyone, so head coach Steve Fennah has done his best to create a family atmosphere. Becoming a family is important, and it starts with Fennah, whom Vislay calls the "Papa Bear." Fennah and his staff try from the first team meeting to make the team a tight unit, but it's ultimately up to the players.

"It starts when you begin to recruit the kids," Fennah said. "As you bring them in during their visits, and as you talk to their coaches, you are looking for kids that have a personality and want to contribute to the team. When you bring them, it's something that we stress."

"We are a family, and we have to achieve things by being a hard-working, blue collar group. Support and caring for each other is also important. Over the last few years, it's a lot of the older kids who have taken everyone under their wing as they've arrived."

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools