With the Tuesday storm looming far off to the south, and every ear perked in anticipation of the faintest possible
sound of thunder, the game pressed forward with hope that at least a gentle bit of rain might arrive to cool the thick waves of heat radiating relentlessly from the soccer pitch.
Thursday’s match, on the other hand, brought no such relief and instead delivered conditions that were simply hot,
hot, hot with no end in sight.
Although the overwhelming heat often results in fewer players remaining active on the field at any given time, the
situation gives coaches the chance to narrow their focus onto smaller, more personalized drills that target specific
skills for each athlete.
At the same time, the reduced scale of gameplay encourages some of the quieter or more reserved players
to step bravely out of their comfort zones, challenge themselves with new responsibilities, and ultimately
discover fresh levels of confidence and achievement in their developing gameplay.
